System and method for facilitating collaboration and related multiple user thinking and cooperation regarding an arbitrary problem

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods to facilitate the thinking and problem solving abilities of groups and multiple individuals working collaboratively or collectively in arbitrary problems and inquiry based projects, in both formal and informal settings and situations.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/805,170, filed on May 22, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,720,780 entitled System and Method for Facilitating Collaboration and Multiple User Thinking and Cooperation Regarding an Arbitrary Problem, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein, and which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/808,784 filed on May 25, 2006, entitled Method and System for Facilitating Collaboration or Related Individual Problem Solving Cooperation Regarding an Arbitrary Problem and which is also a continuation-in-part of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/704,897 entitled System and Method to Facilitate and Evaluate User Thinking about an Arbitrary Problem Using Visual Feedback filed on Nov. 10, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,175 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and which claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC §119 (e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/425,343, filed Nov. 11, 2002, entitled “Integrated Thinking and Knowledge Construct, and Building and Viewing Method and System for Same,” incorporated by reference.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/709,118, filed on Feb. 20, 2007, entitled System and Method to Facilitate User Thinking About an Arbitrary Problem with Output and Interfaces to External Components and Resources, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and which is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority under 35 USC §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/148,129, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,260,561, filed on Jun. 8, 2005, entitled System and Method to Facilitate User Thinking About an Arbitrary Problem with Output and Interfaces to External Components and Resources, incorporated by reference in its entirety, which is a continuation-in-part and claims priority under 35 USC §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/705,651, filed on Nov. 10, 2003, entitled System and Method to Facilitate and Evaluate User Thinking about an Arbitrary Problem Using an Archetype Structure, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,175, incorporated by reference in its entirety.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/147,874 filed on Jun. 8, 2005, entitled System and Method to Customize the Facilitation of Development of User Thinking About and Documenting of an Arbitrary Problem, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and which is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority under 35 USC §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/705,651, filed on Nov. 10, 2003, entitled System and Method to Facilitate and Evaluate User Thinking about an Arbitrary Problem Using an Archetype Structure, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,175, incorporated by reference in its entirety.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to systems and methods of facilitating multiple users and groups in thinking and collaborating about an arbitrary problem.

BACKGROUND

In educational and business situations, there is recognition of the need for improving the abilities of groups working on information intensive projects, in both the quality of the results and the efficiency with which information-intensive work is done. A significant portion of business and educational endeavors involve the joint conduct of information-intensive or inquiry-based projects by multiple individuals or even multiple sub teams. Such projects often include a broad range of problem solving activities, such as defining the problem, finding and analyzing information, formulating conclusions, hypotheses and alternatives, and in many cases developing an answer or course of action, and others. Such group or collaborative projects also often result in the production of one or more reports to convey the findings and/or recommendations or views to others.

A large number of workers are classified as knowledge workers and routinely formulate understanding about and solutions to rather unstructured or arbitrary problems. Research shows that most knowledge workers are assigned to teams for at least some portion of their work and that most teams are fairly large in their numbers of members. In addition, many if not most knowledge workers have professional or personal areas of interest in which they may pursue inquiry and the development of various documented understanding and reports as well. Informal communities of interest—whether professional or personal—are common, and individuals often seek each other out on an ad-hoc or informal collaborative or cooperative basis as well—sharing information and ideas about professional issues or personal hobbies and interests and the like.

Despite the prevalence of formal groups and informal collaborative networks such as but not limited to social networks for conducting information-intensive projects together, computerized support for generalized, collaborative inquiry based projects is lacking. Most teams or collaborating individuals utilize at best a loose collection of computerized tools such as the Internet and search engines to find information, E-mail, tools such as Outlook, in some cases social networking tools to seek out others and communicate, and document production tools like Power Point or web authoring tools to produce results. In some instances, the teams may use tools like Lotus Notes or others to share documents and control versioning. However, generalized computer-based collaboration systems tend to focus on the mechanics of communication and document change management control, as opposed to providing support and additional value to the group or collaborative thinking, problem solving and information process itself.

In contrast, teams that work on very specialized project types may utilize specific specialized computerized systems that have a highly shared set of tools and provide a specific shared context for the group and team members—such as product development teams using CAD/CAM systems for product design. However, the team or group or collaborative support for information intensive, generalized or arbitrary problem solving to date has been lacking in a generalizable set of shared tools and problem solving context that assists significantly in the structure, content, or process of the problem solving work itself, or indeed for the content and problem solving process of the collaboration that occurs.

A familiar type of generalized collaboration computer support, for example, coordinates documents through version control allowing for participants to see versions, changes and attribute those changes to contributors. Another type of generalized computer supported collaboration is through email, instant messaging, the email conversation threads of SIG's and discussions, and other similar approaches. Generalized collaboration computer platforms largely at best are focused on the mechanics and management of the communication and document control, as opposed to the project content or group problem solving process.

As a result, the problems in supporting multi-user and collaborative or team work in inquiry based projects are many. One particular problem is the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the interaction between individual knowledge work and group or collective or collaborative work. For example, typically, although an assignment is made to the individual to support the groups' goals and objectives, the individual knowledge workers often work independently using techniques they have found to be successful in the past, and typically utilizing more personal support through word processors, search engines and browsers, spread sheets, specialized tools like statistical packages, hand written notes, and other tools and approaches accepted and appropriate to the particular discipline. In many situations, meetings and points where group work needs to be pulled together cause additional work for the knowledge worker or sub team outside of their individual project content work, as they prepare summary or other review documents for group or collaborative session or reviews. Upon return from group meetings, the individual workers in this type of situation often largely revert to a work mode in the appropriate tools and manner for their detail efforts, which remain relatively hidden from the group as a whole. There is therefore often extra effort and time to translate to and from the personal detail work approach to the meeting formats, presentations, and group discussions, and little if any additional insight tends to be gained from this work. Collaboration between individuals occurs at best through joint text or other document authoring, or the sharing of documents augmented by emails and other communications.

In many cases, knowledge workers and individuals have generally learned their generalized, information intensive problem solving approaches throughout their education in schools and universities and through “trial and error”, and in some cases personal mentoring, on the job. There tends therefore not to be a shared problem solving and inquiry project process context to assist in discussions about the process or approaches being used by individuals and the group.

An additional problem with most group work supported by generalized computer systems or tools today is that the final presentation, written document or other similar media is often the most available or only documentation of the problem/project and as such only records the final solution and findings of the team, and little about the process and little about what was examined and rejected, and little about the process, rationale etc. This final report or product in many circumstances transfers very little depth of understanding to future work.

There is therefore a significant need for a system and method that enables generalized multi-user and group information-intensive thinking and problem solving in a collaborative manner to address these and additional needs and problems.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention provides systems and methods to facilitate the thinking and problem solving abilities of groups and multiple individuals working collaboratively or collectively in arbitrary problems and inquiry based projects, in both formal and informal settings and situations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a conceptual depiction of the preferred embodiment.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of an overview of one embodiment of groups of components of the archetype structure.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of an example development path for an integrated thinking and knowledge construct.

FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram of an example alternative development path for an integrated thinking and knowledge construct.

FIG. 1D is a schematic diagram of another example alternative development path for an integrated thinking and knowledge construct.

FIG. 1E is a schematic diagram of example alternative viewpoints that may be provided to the user by representations.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of one example computing implementation environment for one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an example architecture for one embodiment.

FIG. 3A is a flowchart showing the general interaction of the architecture modules of one embodiment.

FIG. 3B is a flowchart further related to the transactions and functions associated with one embodiment of the process manager suggestor.

FIG. 3B-10 is an additional flowchart further related to the transactions and functions associated with one embodiment of the process manager suggestor.

FIG. 3C is a flowchart of transactions related to the general functions of the example software module view and representation manager.

FIGS. 3C-10 is a flowchart providing further detail regarding one embodiment of the example view and representation manager module.

FIGS. 3C-20 is a flowchart providing further detail regarding optimization by one embodiment of the view and representation manager.

FIG. 4A is an example structure for a topic set as a thinking structure of an integrated construct of one embodiment.

FIGS. 4A-10 is an example of one embodiment of a topic set, specifically a topic set created for a history assignment in an educational setting.

FIG. 4B is an example of the addition of information constructs to an integrated construct of one embodiment, in the case in which a topic set has been previously defined.

FIG. 4C is an example of the addition of an analysis construct to an integrated construct of one embodiment, in the case in which a topic set and certain information constructs have been previously defined.

FIG. 4D is an example of the addition of a meaning statement to an integrated construct of one embodiment, in the case in which a topic set, certain information constructs, and an analysis construct have been previously defined.

FIG. 4E is an example of linkages between components of an integrated construct of one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the method and process provided through the archetype process.

FIG. 5A is a flow chart showing additional detail regarding defining the project initiation, goal and problem definition.

FIG. 5B is a flow chart showing additional detail regarding one embodiment of the question and topic assistance tool.

FIGS. 5B-10 is an example embodiment of categories of model topics of questions of one embodiment of the topic assistance tool.

FIGS. 5B-20 is an example embodiment of the subcategories of model topics or questions of one embodiment of the topic assistance tool.

FIGS. 5B-30 is an example embodiment of model subtopics of one embodiment.

FIGS. 5B-40 is an example embodiment of model secondary subtopics of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5C is a flowchart of transactions related to one embodiment of creating a new information construct.

FIG. 5D is a flowchart of transactions related to one embodiment of formatting or modifying an information construct.

FIGS. 5D-10 is an example of an unformatted entry approach for the information construct of one embodiment.

FIGS. 5D-20 is an example of formatted entry approach for the information construct of one embodiment.

FIG. 5E is a flow chart of transactions related to one embodiment of acquiring information through an Internet browser or other electronic source.

FIG. 5F is a flowchart of transactions related to one embodiment of creating a new analysis construct.

FIG. 5G is a flowchart of transactions related to one embodiment of formatting an analysis construct.

FIG. 5H is a flowchart of transactions related to one embodiment of adding elements to an analysis construct.

FIGS. 5H-10 is an example of relationships between an analysis construct and information constructs of one embodiment.

FIGS. 5H-20 is an example of a partially completed analysis construct work space of one embodiment.

FIGS. 5H-30 is another example of a completed analysis construct.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an example of one embodiment of regions that may be used in representing an integrated thinking and knowledge construct and the associated method and process.

FIG. 6A is a schematic view of example types of views or representations that may be provided by one embodiment of the present invention, being shown as regions and slices as well as the overall and individual component views.

FIG. 6B is a schematic depiction of one example embodiment of regions as representational areas in one 3-D embodiment.

FIG. 6C is another schematic depiction of one example embodiment of regions as representational areas in one 3-D embodiment.

FIG. 6D is a schematic depiction of one example embodiment of “slices” as a means of providing representations in one 3-D embodiment.

FIG. 6E shows a schematic depiction of the use of next visible views and implied next visible views in one 3-D embodiment.

FIGS. 6I through 6V are alternative example shapes which may be used to represent the integrated construct of the present invention as a three dimensional object.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the views provided by one embodiment of the present invention and example navigational paths between these views.

FIG. 7A is an example of one embodiment of a representation focused on a subtopic in one 3 dimensional representation form.

FIG. 7B is a schematic illustrating an example of a 2 dimensional embodiment of regions and subset or slice views.

FIG. 7C is an example of one representation in a 2 dimensional embodiment, focused on an individual subtopic view.

FIG. 7D is an example of one representation of an embodiment of a linkage view, specifically focused on a person information construct.

FIG. 7E is an example of a navigator device used in one embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an overview of one embodiment of multi-user or collaborative system and method modules related to the archetype structure.

FIG. 9 is an embodiment of a representative technical architecture for supporting and enabling the multiple user and collaborative system and method modules.

FIG. 10 is a schematic depiction of representative use scenarios for multiple user and collaborative system and method use.

FIG. 11A is one example embodiment of a group or “super” ITKC and its relationship to individual or “sub” ITKC's.

FIG. 11B is a second example embodiment of a group or “super” ITKC and its relationship to individual or “sub” ITKC's.

FIG. 12 is one embodiment of modules related in an architecture for the system and method modules associated with multi-user and group collaboration regarding an arbitrary problem.

FIG. 13A is a flowchart of one embodiment of transactions related to the facilitation of collaboration by a formal group, referencing system and method modules.

FIG. 13B is a continuation flowchart of one embodiment of transactions related to the facilitation of collaboration by a formal group, referencing system and method modules.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of one embodiment of transactions related to the facilitation of informal collaboration or cooperation by individual users or teams.

FIG. 14A is an additionally detailed flowchart of one embodiment of some transactions related to the facilitation of informal collaboration or cooperation by individual users or teams.

FIG. 14B is a further additionally detailed flowchart of one embodiment of some transactions related to the facilitation of informal collaboration or cooperation by individual users or teams.

FIG. 15 is an example of a representative workspace layout provided by one embodiment, showing an example of a view or display for multi-user collaboration on a shared or common project.

FIG. 16 is a second example of a representative workspace layout provided by one embodiment, showing an example of a view or display for multi-user collaboration on a shared or common project.

FIG. 17 is an example of a representative workspace layout provided by one embodiment, showing an example of a view or display for multi-user collaboration or cooperation in the absence of a shared or common project.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The system provides a software tool to evaluate, facilitate and convey user thinking. In preferred embodiments, the tool begins with a base-line structure in which to address an arbitrary problem. At its simplest, this structure includes the idea of specifying and inter-relating the problem or topic to be addressed, specifying a proposed conclusion to the problem, and specifying knowledge. The tool provides various user mechanisms for the user to develop their thinking. The tool provides the ability to populate various structures with various specifications of topics, conclusions, and knowledge, and their interrelationships. More significantly, the tool provides intelligence to the process and the structure of the user's work. The tool monitors and tracks the interactions of the user to determine whether the user's approach or process toward addressing the problem might benefit with certain specific suggestions to aid the user's development or thinking. In addition, the tool monitors the structure of the user's thinking to determine whether the user's problem definition, knowledge, and proposed conclusion and underlying thinking is well-founded in a structural and in some cases, logical sense. To do the former, the tool tracks the specific interactions of the user to monitor things like interactions spent specifying details and collecting data vs. developing conclusions. To do the latter, the tool analyzes the structure of the user's presently proposed conclusion, for example, analyzing whether it is supported by knowledge. In preferred embodiments, the former and latter are implemented with rules-based inference engines to make suggested actions for the user, in a variety of ways.

The tool provides an ability to encapsulate or contain the state of thinking and development in an entity called an ITKC. This entity integrates the topic, conclusion and knowledge, and the tool conveys this integrated state preferably using a visual, physical metaphor such as a three dimensional object, although 2 dimensional embodiments may also be used. The tool inherently contains an exemplary ITKC, and in some sense this is a core, exemplary or archetype structure for an arbitrary problem. The tool uses the archetype problem solution structure and the archetype or preferred process as the basis for providing guidance to the user in their development of their thinking, and in response their actions. Initially, the user is provided with a starting point for their project that in a preferred embodiment is undeveloped other than to model that an exemplary structure includes at least a topic, conclusion, and knowledge area. A more specific starting point for user development may be provided, for example, a super-user, teacher or other source may provide more specific structure to the problem and perhaps some initial content or the like to provide a more specific ITKC starting point. The user then may further develop this provided initial ITKC in the process of their thinking evolution. As they add structures, content and relationships to their thinking, their personal ITKC will correspondingly modify.

The tools to track user interactions and make suggestions combine with the interrelated visual feedback views to in effect guide the user in an archetype process for developing their thinking about an arbitrary problem. By this it is meant, a model or exemplary process or way to approach the problem procedurally. Since the user will develop their ITKC, the applicable archetype problem solution structure and applicable portions of the exemplary process will change in relation to the present ITKC (i.e., model or exemplary structure will depend on the user's current ITKC to which it is compared). Thus, the applicable archetype structure and exemplary process are in some sense dynamic. In addition, the archetype process is state dependent, meaning the process suggestions made and monitored will depend on the state of the user's actual processing and interactions.

The tool thus facilitates an exemplary process for accomplishing sound thinking and knowledge development about arbitrary problems and provides the user with the ability to develop their own thinking and knowledge about the problem through the development an ITKC or integrated thinking and knowledge construct. The archetype process and structure facilitate the user from conception of the problem (or question, issue, subject, topic, or area of interest) through the creation and viewing of a summary understanding, answer or other result. For purposes of this application, the terms ITKC, “integrated thinking and knowledge construct,” “thinking and knowledge construct,” “integrated knowledge and thinking construct,” “knowledge and thinking construct” and “integrated construct” are used interchangeably.

Referring now to the Figures, in FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, the tool provides (i) an archetype structure (block 1500) which provides components and options for creating, structuring, developing, and relating the set of components a user may employ in developing their thinking and knowledge about an arbitrary problem; (ii) the user developed model or ITKC, indicated in block 1000, which is comprised of user selected and developed thinking and knowledge structures and encapsulates the relationships and process history conducted by the user; (iii) an archetype process, as indicated in block 2000, for thinking about and solving arbitrary problems, which enables and helps guide the user in their work; (iv) tracking, evaluating, and inference modules which monitor and evaluate the user's actions against archetype or exemplary structure and process rules, and make suggestions to the user accordingly; and (v) an ongoing representation of the user's developed model or ITKC, as indicated in block 100, against various views that convey archetype structure and process, as well as potential natural next thinking and working steps, and therefore provide ongoing coaching to the user through visual feedback.

The user developed model is referred to herein as an ITKC or Integrated Thinking and Knowledge Construct. It should be understood that the use of the word construct is employed to convey both (i) a component that is constructed and evident to the user; and (ii) the underlying data storage and retrieval requirements for achieving the described component or components and parts (see additional description below regarding options which may be employed in the data structure and implementation approach). In a preferred embodiment, the user developed model can subsequently be tracked and evaluated against archetype structural expectations by the tool, including but not limited to items such as the types of components selected, the prevalence of components selected, the completeness of components used at various stages in the development of the ITKC (in terms of content, structure, and linkages) and others. The user process can similarly be tracked and evaluated against the archetype process rules, including but not limited to items such as what portions of process the user elects to try or use, the user's response history to suggestions made by the system, and the user's selection and use of various views which constitute thinking subsets. As described elsewhere herein, in a preferred embodiment, such tracking is used for direct feedback to the user, the generation of suggestions, and various reporting and tracking activities for the primary user and potentially for users like teachers.

In one preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1A, the archetype structure for an arbitrary problem 10 may include a thinking construct 20 and a knowledge construct 40 which may each include a plurality of components. The groups of components of the thinking construct 20 preferably include a number of thinking structures which in a preferred embodiment may include: (i) a topic set 22 for defining and maintaining the definition of the subject, topic, questions, problem, issue, area of interest or other suitable descriptions of the project, and preferably including both a main topic or problem and one or more subtopics; (ii) a meaning statement set 24 for developing and maintaining the user's perspectives regarding the data and/or analysis including one or more but not limited to: conclusions, observations, hypotheses, theories, summary statements, perspectives, ideas, or any similar items; and (iii) an answer or summary set 26 for developing and maintaining the highest level answer or summary viewpoint of the results attained relating to the project. In a preferred embodiment, the components of the knowledge construct 40 may generally include: (i) information constructs 42 for creating, organizing, and maintaining data and information elements regarding the project, including structured and unstructured formats; (ii) analysis constructs 44 for developing or associating a plurality of analyses regarding the project, which may be based on data, information elements and/or information constructs created with via this invention or gathered from other electronic sources and associated with the integrated construct, and for maintaining the analytical components in structured and/or unstructured formats; and (iii) portions of data 46 which are not structured according to information constructs or analysis constructs, but which are associated with the integrated construct. The integrated construct further includes the linkages or relationships 60 that may exist or be created among and between any of these individual components and groups of components. In certain cases, the preferred embodiment provides one or more links automatically in response to user actions as the user proceeds through the various stages of development of the integrated construct. As discussed below, these links help the user understand and document the relationship between various construct knowledge or thinking components.

For simplicity purposes, this application primarily refers to the building, creation, use and sharing of a single ITKC or integrated construct, although it should be appreciated that the preferred embodiment is preferably operable to enable one or more users to create one or more integrated constructs, which may be standalone or related to one another. It should also be appreciated that a user may include one person or a group of people.

The integrated construct or ITKC which is built by the user can be associated with or contain as little information as the title or label the user assigns to the integrated construct. The integrated construct can be associated with or contain one, some or none of the component types enabled to the user by the preferred embodiment. The integrated construct can also contain or be associated with a one, none or a plurality of empty, partially completed, or completed components, as described below. The output of the preferred embodiment may be electronic or paper based. The method and system also enables users to include electronic information from other standard computerized tools and information formats such as images and documents that may be copied and pasted into or otherwise associated with portions of the integrated construct.

The archetype structure and method and process of the preferred embodiment are preferably modular in their embodiment to enable the use of individual or subset combinations of components in the progressive building of the integrated construct, and the corresponding associated portions of method and process. The method and components provided by the preferred embodiment are based on the understanding of experts in completing information intensive development, thinking and knowledge development about arbitrary problems. The method and system preferably includes guidance for the user as the user proceeds in the creation of the integrated construct, through the options and tools that are provided to the user, through tracking user actions and providing suggestions to the user, and through the design of the visual feedback representations, work spaces and navigation provided to the user. The method and process can be used or implemented in a linear fashion, but are preferably modular to enable creation of the components or the use of the archetype process in a non-linear fashion thereby supporting different individual thinking and problem solving styles, and different kinds and complexities of problems or topics, as discussed further below.

The representations and user interfaces provided by the preferred embodiment offer several distinct advantages, including but not limited to the following: (i) the design of the one or more two-dimensional or preferably three dimensional representations depict the development of an ITKC and help guide and provide access for the user to the associated archetype process and archetype structure; (ii) in the three-dimensional form, the display and manipulation of the integrated construct behaves as though it were a physical three dimensional object, in that the integrated construct can be rotated, flipped, turned, zoomed in on and zoomed out on; (iii) each two or three dimensional representation of the total integrated construct represents the whole thinking for a user about a problem or project, with parts that have meaning in relation to that whole, and the relationships are made readily apparent; (iv) the representations provided by the preferred embodiment are in and of themselves a form of guidance, as they differentiate types of thinking work, provide meaningful workspaces for working on their problem from different vantage points, and suggest by their visual and place relationships and specific design where the user is in relation to the archetype process and structure, and next steps the user might want to consider (as discussed below).

Order of Work and Thinking in the Construction of the Integrated Construct

The preferred embodiment facilitates the development of an integrated construct through a plurality of different paths, according to the user's preferred thinking and problem solving approaches, the nature and complexity of the problem being addressed, and other determinants. Referring now to FIGS. 1B, 1C and 1D, the order in which problems or inquiry based projects may be completed and the integrated constructs and their various components are built and used can vary widely. The starting point, for instance, as shown schematically in FIG. 1B, may be defining the topic set 22 by inputting or defining an issue, question or problem and its descriptors, with subsequent focus on developing data 46 and information constructs 42 and analysis constructs 44 and finally in developing views on an answer or summary view 26 (as would be the case in conducting most independent student projects or research papers). Alternatively, as schematically shown in FIG. 1C, the starting point may be an answer or summary set 26 by inputting a single or set of alternative answers, hypotheses, or summary views 26, for example, with subsequent activities focusing on collecting and analyzing information in data 46, information constructs 42 and/or analysis constructs 44, the clarification of topics or questions 22 relevant to the alternative answers or views, and so on (as would often be the case with adults who are deliberating between alternative answers to a problem or have a hypothesis that is to be tested and proved; this is also the general process for the scientific method). Similarly, as schematically shown in FIG. 1D, the starting point may be a set of information constructs 42 which includes a set of information that has been previously gathered, that are to be interpreted, with subsequent focus on the meaning statements 24 and analysis constructs 44 that may be developed based on such information (as might be the case in educational settings and activities around a set of content, for example). It should be appreciated that a plurality of paths and a plurality of orders of use of the components as well as choice of the component types that may comprise an integrated construct are all in accordance with the preferred embodiment. The modularity and flexibility of the method and process that facilitates the flexibility in paths for integrated construct development provides a significant advantage.

It should thus be appreciated that the preferred embodiment preferably provides certain visual and general method of stability or familiarity to the user from the very outset of the definition of an arbitrary problem through the completion of an integrated construct.

The preferred embodiment thus provides guidance while also providing flexibility in the approach to problems and inquiry based projects, enabling the user to address an inquiry based project in a natural, progressive way.

Applications of the Integrated Construct

The archetype structure and process that provides for the ability to develop integrated constructs and the associated process, method and system of the preferred embodiment can be employed in a wide variety of different circumstances. As discussed above, one of the most prevalent uses is likely to be in supporting a user faced with a problem or similar project that may generally involve one, some or all of the following: (i) some degree of defining one or more problems, issues questions or other area of interest; (ii) gathering, organizing and depicting information and/or preparing understanding or analysis about that problem, issue, question or area of interest; (iii) determining and developing the user's own understanding, perspectives and/or opinion about that problem, issue, topic, question, or area of interest and the knowledge they have developed; (iv) constructing meaning about the problem, issue, topic or area of interest, and/or adding the user's own thinking, which may include the user's creative thoughts, theories, conclusions, and/or perspectives or other similar items; (v) determining some kind of culminating answer or summary view for their project or problem; (vi) evaluating progress and adjusting their approach along the way, evaluating that the results are sound and follow principles of good thinking and problem solving; (vii) portraying or otherwise communicating the user's results in completed form and/or while in process. Although the preferred embodiment supports the totality of activities involved in such arbitrary problems or inquiry based projects, the preferred embodiment can be used effectively to support and enable any one, some or all of these activities in absence of a complete process for an arbitrary problem or inquiry based project or for any subset of combination of these activities.

The preferred embodiment may be used in learning environments (such as primary or secondary schools, colleges and universities) as well as in commercial environments (such as corporations, partnerships and other businesses) and non-commercial environments (such as in home or personal projects). In a preferred embodiment, the archetype process and structure can be used in almost any understanding and/or problem solving or opinion situation, in place of a text paper, an electronic presentation, or a web site.

Certain Advantages of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

The preferred embodiment can be employed in many different circumstances and by many different types of users. This enables better transfer of learning of thinking skills across problems or projects for a single user, and sharing such learning across users.

Another advantage of the preferred embodiment is that the archetype process and structure provide a modular approach that enable the user to navigate flexibly across the components of the integrated construct and the steps of the process and method, including a plurality of different entry points. Different thinking and problem solving styles can be supported, and yet still benefit from the guidance and tracking abilities of the tool.

While the preferred embodiment provides for support of a wide range of types and complexities of problems, issues and topics from definition of a topic of interest through creation and depiction of the summary understanding, solution or result, the steps and components of the preferred embodiment can be used individually or in subset combinations thereof.

The preferred embodiment enables the visualization and feedback of developing and completed thinking and knowledge about a problem not only for the immediate user, but the ITKC can be shared with other users.

Other advantages of the preferred embodiment include, but are not limited to the following: (i) the scope of the archetype structure and process may include and integrate not only data and information or knowledge related to a problem, but importantly, how the user chooses to define the problem, question or topic they are trying to solve and the meaning, viewpoint or answer the user chooses to create from the information and analyses the user collects and/or creates; (ii) the ITKC that the user develops is an ongoing detailed and high level, highly related construction that encapsulates their thinking and knowledge work and can therefore be tracked and used as the basis for guidance; (iii) the preferred embodiment provides the ability to create, manage, view, and maintain components and simple and complex linkages between the components as the integrated construct is developed, both vertically (such as in levels of detail) and horizontally (such as in informational relationships); (iv) the archetype structure and representations may differentiate classes of types of thinking and knowledge related work into a set of identifiable regions which focus on the particular thinking or knowledge activity; (v); (vi) the representations may provide a way of abstracting away from the detailed content and linkages during appropriate thinking and knowledge activities, while still providing access to detail as desired; (vii) the representations may provide optimal combinations of components for different work activities with their associated method and process, and may use visual representations and other methods to provide the user with suggestions on next steps or views, and others as evident elsewhere herein.

Implementation Approach

One embodiment within a computer environment is depicted in FIG. 2, with elements of this embodiment generally including: (i) a set of computer software programs 90 resident on or operating through a computer processor 91 a and 91 b; (ii) a suitable form of data storage and management 93 capable of facilitating the storage and retrieval of multiple components of the integrated construct, any associated linkages, as well as process history, user profiles, and specific ITKC component content and characteristics; (iii) a graphical user interface 96 or other suitable representation mechanism or form 97, whether directly connected to a CPU 91 or working through a network 95 c to access a remote CPU 91 or other display mechanism of some kind; and (iv) likely access to other electronic information sources such as the Internet 95 a and other electronic sources, whether resident on the same CPU as indicated in block 94 d, as the programs or accessible via a local or other network 95 b. The preferred embodiment may also co-reside with other standard tools, such as a word processor 94 a, a spreadsheet processor 94 c, and Internet browser 94 b and other such tools. As stated below, the preferred embodiment may be resident on a local CPU 91 or accessible remotely over local networks 95 b or the Internet block 95 a. As also described more fully below, the embodiments are not limited by type of operating system, 92.

FIG. 3 depicts one example architecture for one embodiment is operable to provide the logic, method and process, capabilities and components, and representations for one or more users. In this embodiment, the architecture software modules represented in FIG. 3 interact to provide the functionality described herein, and which in one embodiment generally include: (i) a representation or graphical user interface 100; (ii) a view manager 200 or like module(s) which facilitates the representations or graphical user interface, the status of their evolving ITKC and portions of associated process and content being presented to the user; (iii) a process manager suggestor 300 which utilizes the archetype structure and process to provide help and guides to the user; (iv) a process manager 400 or like module which facilitates the user in constructing their ITKC based on and guided by the archetype structure; iv) a linkage manager 600 or like module which updates linkages among and between the components of the integrated construct and groups of components, in some cases automatically and in other cases in response to user actions; (vi) an update manager 700 or like module which updates the content and structure of the integrated construct in response to user actions; and (vii) the content of the integrated construct and its associated structure or formats, stored in a suitable form of data storage and retrieval mechanisms 800. These general software architectural modules are described in greater detail following the description of the method and process of the invention provided below.

It should be appreciated that the specific embodiment may be operative in a plurality of electronic and computerized environments, as described more fully below. It should further be appreciated that the precise boundaries of computer programs or other implementation mechanisms can differ from those represented in the general software architecture depicted in FIG. 3 and still be in accordance with the preferred embodiment. It should further be appreciated that although the embodiments rendered in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3 show a division between process and data, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is be object oriented or at the least highly based on object oriented design principles. The modularity of the method and process and its correspondence in structure to the components of the integrated construct lend themselves readily to object oriented implementation.

The storage and management of the data/information and structural relationships that comprise the integrated construct can be created and accomplished through the use of a plurality of alternative, readily available mechanisms and approaches. It should be appreciated that a plurality of different data storage formats and associated creation mechanisms may be used to facilitate the process and integrated construct in accordance with the present invention. Given the general purpose and nature of the invention, the optimal implementation mechanisms for data storage and creation will differ according to the amount and complexity of the information, as well as the size and complexity of knowledge and thinking constructs being included in or associated with the integrated construct. These options will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. One of the advantages of the integrated construct's architecture is that the process and construct can be implemented over a broad range of project complexities and broad range of amounts of data/information while still utilizing the same general user components, process, tools, regions, methods, and to a great extent, interface or representations.

The interface representation, process, method, and underlying logic and information architecture for the integrated construct do not employ assumptions about the underlying operating system. In one computerized embodiment, the present invention may be implemented using one or more computer programs, each of which executes under the control of an operating system, such as Windows, OS2, DOS, AIX, UNIX, MAC OS and others, and causes the computer to perform the desired functions as described herein. Using the present specifications, the invention may be implemented as a machine, process, or article of manufacture by using standard programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware and any combination thereof.

Generally, in the computerized embodiment, the computer programs and/or operating system are tangibly embodied in a computer readable device or media, such as memory, data storage devices, and/or data communication devices, thereby making a computer program product or article of manufacture according to the present invention, which may encompass a computer program accessible from any suitable computer or electronic readable device, or media. The present invention can similarly be implemented with a plurality of configurations and devices.

Moreover, in the computerized embodiment, the computer programs and operating system are generally comprised of instructions which, when read and executed by computers, cause the computers to perform the steps necessary to implement and/or use the present invention. Under control of the operating system, the computer programs may be loaded from memory, data storage devices, and/or data communication devices into the memories of the computers for use during actual operations. The present invention can thus be implemented in a local or remote processing environment, including use of a single computer, servers, the Internet or other forms of networked processing and communication. It should be appreciated that many modifications can be made to this implementation configuration in accordance with the present invention.

Media Types

The present invention facilitates the incorporation of a plurality of media types in each of its components and activities, including but not limited to alphanumeric characters, images, graphics, video, quantitative sets, three dimensional renderings, etc. It is common in the art of manually or paper based inquiry based projects to incorporate and use any or all of these information or media types, and it is similarly common in the art of computer programming, data delivered via the Internet and other electronic based information to incorporate a plurality of different information or media types. It should therefore be appreciated that the present invention is not intended to exclude any media type from the description, but rather to incorporate the plurality of media types common in the forms described above and likely to be incorporated into such forms over time.

User Interaction

In one embodiment of the present invention, user interaction with the system is accomplished through the manipulation of one or more user interaction, interface or input devices, such as a computer mouse, trackball, keyboard, touch pad, touch screen or stylus. Actions by a user with one or more of these interaction devices may cause a plurality of results, including but not limited to: (i) movement of a visual marker (e.g., pointer or cursor) across or on a representation provided by the system such as on a suitable display device; (ii) changes in the representations provided by the invention; or (iii) indication by the user that a component available to the user is to be selected for further action in some manner. Throughout the description of the detailed method, process, and system of the present invention, reference is made to user interactions such as these. “Selection” as used herein is intended to convey any suitable electronic means by which a user can indicate that the user wishes to initiate the relevant action associated with that selection. Similarly, movements by the user within and across the representations provided by the system are described as a way to change position and therefore access the relevant aspects of the method and system, or to change views of the integrated construct, its components or the regions or cognitive regions of the integrated construct as described herein. Such event handling approaches are well known to those skilled in the art. It should be appreciated that the use of other user interaction devices that result in similar inputs or cues to the system of the present invention may be used in accordance with the present invention. For example, user interaction can be accomplished through voice activation mechanisms, or through prompting from electronic transactions from other sources that result in an electronic signal to the system that is the functional equivalent of either entry through user interaction devices such as a keyboard or a mouse.

Display Devices

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system displays a plurality of representations that may be provided on one or more of a plurality of devices. The present invention contemplates the display on one or more of a variety of suitable of display devices or displays. The present invention can be embodied through any suitable device that generally provides the functional equivalent of the computer screen or projected screen, hologram, or other electronic projection, as well as via paper or other media type. An alternative embodiment of the present invention provides for printing or otherwise displays portions of or the totality of the integrated construct and representations of the in-process or completed region views onto paper or other non-electronic media. Another embodiment of the present invention provides for the construction of a physical construct, with the ability to place, arrange or associate the information associated with each of the components of the integrated construct on or to a physical structure (as might be done, for example, on a physical exhibit).

Potential Components of the Integrated Construct in One Embodiment

A key enabler to the preferred embodiment is the archetype structure for the content created and associated with accomplishing an inquiry based project, preferably made up of both thinking and knowledge constructs. The component classes or types that make up the archetype structure are provided for the user to create, select, edit and link in the building of their ITKC. Linkages and relationships between components may be created directly by the user or automatically by the system, as described more fully below. In a preferred embodiment, the creation of components by the user creates subsequent thinking subset structures and workspaces customized to facilitate focus and thinking on meaningful subsets of the project and at a plurality of levels of detail. The following describes in greater detail examples of components of the archetype structure that may be used to comprise a user's thinking and knowledge construct, or ITKC as originally depicted generally in FIG. 1A. The manner in which the archetype structure is subsequently used to evaluate and further guide the user is described in a later section herein.

In a preferred embodiment, types of components are synonymous with classes, as the archetype structure lends itself easily to object oriented implementation, although such implementation is not required.

Thinking Constructs in one preferred embodiment are made up of a Topic Set, (including a Main Topic or Problem and subtopics), a Meaning Statement Set, and an Answer or Summary View.

Topic Set

Referring again to FIG. 1, one of the thinking structures that may be used as a part of a thinking construct includes the topic set 22, which may be used to define the scope of the problem, question, issue, subject or topic or area of interest intended for pursuit by the user. Components of the topic set may include items such as one or more topics, subjects, questions, problems, issues, areas of interest or any suitable other way of defining an area of interest. Components of the topic set may exist in a plurality of information media forms, including but not limited to text statements, drawings, images, or other commonly used or suitable information media forms or formats.

FIG. 4A generally illustrates an example structure of a topic set 22. In this preferred embodiment, the topic set of an integrated construct includes at least one statement of main topic 1220, generally representing the highest level or summary topic, subject, question, problem or issue intended to be included in the integrated construct (for example, in an educational context, the main topic might be “What caused the development of the Constitution?”). The topic set may also include one or more subtopics 1222, 1224 and 1226 that are labeled Subtopics 1, 2 and 3 in FIG. 4A. Subtopics may be defined in order to partition or otherwise further elaborate the topic, subject, question, problem or issue of interest into smaller, more targeted or defined topics, subjects, questions, or issues of interest (for example, continuing in an education context, subtopics might include “Who created the Constitution?”, and “What events led up to the Constitution?”). The subtopics associated with a main topic may also take on a plurality of information forms.

Referring again to FIG. 4A, in a preferred embodiment, subtopics may be further associated with one or more secondary subtopics such as secondary sub-topics 1222 a, 1222 b, 1222 c, 1224 a, 1224 b, and 1226 a respectively. These subtopics may provide a lower level of partitioning or other further elaboration of the subtopic, sub-question, sub-problem, sub-issue or sub-area of interest. For example, the subtopic “Who created the Constitution?” might be further partitioned or elaborated through two additional secondary subtopics, such as “Who were the Convention delegates?” and “What were their beliefs?” The secondary subtopics associated with any subtopic may again be comprised of information in any form: textual, drawing, video, image, graphic, etc. A secondary subtopic may be linked to more than one subtopic. Although the most often utilized linking is likely to be that of subdividing into greater detail or parts, the preferred embodiment also allows for the identification of other kinds of linkages across and among subtopics. It should be appreciated that the number of levels provided for the topic set may be varied and will generally be limited only by the processing robustness of the technology and data storage platforms on which the present invention is implemented.

FIGS. 4A-10 illustrates an example of a topic set, in this case created for a history project for an educational assignment. The present invention generally provides several representation choices, described more fully below. One preferred embodiment of the present invention also provides assistance in the form of a topic or question help tool, described in greater detail as a part of the method and process description below.

The topic set 22 is preferably available throughout the process and method of the present invention for viewing, editing, adding to or deleting topics, subtopics, and/or secondary subtopics. This enables the user to for instance add additional relevant questions after the user is further along in the user's thinking process and investigation on the project. Linkages among and between components within the topic set are managed and can be changed, via the link or linkage manager 600 generally illustrated in FIG. 3 and described below. For example, secondary subtopics that are associated with a subtopic can subsequently be changed or moved to be linked to a different subtopic. Similarly, secondary subtopics can be changed or moved to become higher level subtopics, associated then with the main topic, if the user desires to do so. It should also be appreciated that other components of the integrated construct may be linked to components of the topic set and then available for viewing and editing accordingly, as will be described more fully in the detailed description of the method and process set forth below. In a preferred embodiment, topics, questions, issues or other areas of interest defined in the Topic Set also provide the basis for one form of subsetting the project into meaningful subsets for work and consideration by the user (as described more fully below).

In one embodiment, the archetype structure provides for more than one topic set for the same problem, as in providing alternative means of subsetting or elaborating the problem of concern.

Information Constructs

Referring back to FIG. 1, in a preferred embodiment, information constructs 42 provide a way for the user to create, organize, group, format, and reference the collection of information or data that the user chooses to enter, create, or associate with their project and the integrated construct. In the educational project “What caused the Constitution?” for example, the user may wish to create information constructs for some of the key framers (James Madison, George Washington), the Constitution, the key parts of the Federal government (the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches perhaps) and state government. Information constructs in the invention may be formatted with specific elements, partially formatted, of highly unstructured (as in including or being associated with just a block of text for example).

In a preferred embodiment, an information construct 42 may be made up of a large amount of information and/or high number of information elements, or may include as little information as the title, label or number assigned to it by the user. Reference points from other integrated construct components to information constructs 42 may be provided to the information construct in at least two ways including but not limited to: (a) to the information construct as a whole; and/or (b) to the information elements or groups of information elements associated with the information construct.

FIG. 4B generally illustrates an example of the addition of an information construct such as 1422, 1424 or 1426 to an integrated construct 10, specifically in the case where a topic set 22 has been defined. An information construct may be defined uniquely in the integrated construct with a label, number or title. The title, number or label for the information construct may serve as a reference point to the collection of information or data elements that are to be associated with the unique label or title.

In a preferred embodiment, information constructs 42 generally may be unformatted, fully formatted or partially formatted in their form. Unformatted information constructs provide the ability to add text, drawings, and/or other portions of information to be stored and associated with the title or label given uniquely to the information construct, and therefore available to the user and for linkage or use with other information construct or integrated construct components. An example of one embodiment of the entry of an unformatted information construct 1422 a is shown in FIGS. 4D-10. As specified elsewhere herein, the information or data may include a plurality of media forms when included in or associated with information constructs.

The preferred embodiment may facilitates the assignment or association of information constructs with one or a number of subclasses or types. In one embodiment of the present invention, information constructs may be classified as “People,” “Places,” “Things,” “Media,” “Ideas,” “Events,” “Issues” and “Other.” The present invention also generally facilitates the creation of user specified, customized classes or types of information constructs. In the preferred embodiment, the assignment of information constructs to class types is not required. Information constructs can be seen and manipulated at a plurality of levels of detail, including but not limited to the detailed level, the summary level and at an overall title or symbolic or icon level via the present invention. The method and system also provides the ability to link and reference information constructs from the appropriate internal fields of other information constructs, and to define the nature of those relationships (for example, the person information construct “James Madison” having a birthplace element that is associated with the place information construct “Virginia”).

The present invention facilitates the user associating and labeling information constructs as belonging to a similar category or group; information constructs may be associated with more than one group at the same time or in the same project. For example, information constructs of the type “People” might be grouped according to categories such as “Political Leaders,” “Explorers” and “Artists.” In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides for the creation of groups of information constructs, the labeling or naming or titling of such groups, and the inclusion of descriptive or explanatory information to describe or otherwise explain the nature or definition of the group. Once created in the preferred embodiment, groups also behave and may be treated by the user similarly to information constructs in their own right. For example, the user can add information to the group—in formatted, unformatted or a combination form; groups can be linked or otherwise associated with topics, meaning statements, and other Integrated Construct components; groups can be associated with or otherwise linked with Analysis Constructs.

The present invention in a preferred embodiment facilitates the visual distinction of different types or classes of information constructs in the display or representations of the integrated construct, such as through the use of different colors, icon designs, and/or shapes. In one embodiment, different colors and intensities of representation are used to depict the user's rating of the importance of the different information constructs. It should also be appreciated that different visual solutions may be used to differentiate the type or class of information construct in accordance with the present invention.

In one preferred embodiment, the method and system of the present invention provides a number of available formats to assist the user in structuring information elements of a particular subclass or type. An example of such a structured format 42 b is illustrated in FIGS. 5D-20. Structured formats provided for information elements are generally associated with unique labels and a defined field or data type. For example, the information construct type “People” may include optional use of structured fields or data elements such as birth date. If selected to be associated with a particular information construct, the structured element format may become an empty data field associated with the information construct's label, and ready for receiving or otherwise being associated with information either via direct input by the user, or through other data entry mechanisms as described in the detailed method and process section below.

Information Constructs may be linked or associated with one another in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: 1.) the association of one information construct as a whole with another information construct as a whole (for example, that the Information Construct James Madison, of type Person, helped create the Information Construct The Constitution, of type Thing or Media Thing); 2.) the association of a field that has been associated with or made a part of an Information Construct with another Information Construct (for example, that the Information Construct James Madison's, of type Person, birthplace—a field—was the Information Construct Virginia, of type Place). Additional links can be created between Information Constructs by the user to represent other relationships, either using labels for relationship types that are provided by the invention, or by entering their own custom labels (see later descriptions included in this document regarding links). For example, the Information Construct James Madison might be linked or related to the Information Construct Benjamin Franklin and labeled with the indication that they are “alike” in some way. Such links may also include internal data available to the user, such as in the user describing how the Information Constructs described above are “alike.” The resulting linkages or associations made with an Information Construct (and potentially made at different points of use and from different views as the user uses the invention) may then be represented to the user for review, editing, adding, in a representation such as shown in FIG. 7D, which shows an example of one embodiment of a linkage view for the information construct James Madison, 42.

In a preferred embodiment, the present invention allows a user to change such formatting of an Information Construct over time. For example, a user may initially create a Person Information Construct, labeled James Madison, but have no additional information they wish to add to that Information Construct at the time they create the construct. Once created, the Information Construct (even in its “empty” form) may be associated or otherwise linked to other Integrated Construct Components (such as topics, meaning statements, analysis constructs, and others). Subsequently, the user may find some research information—perhaps over the Internet (as described more fully elsewhere herein) that he/she wants to associate with the James Madison Information Construct. Using the methods described later in this document, the user can select some such information and associate with the “empty” James Madison Information Construct, either as a section of text without further formatting, or by creating an element or field associated with the Information Construct and then associating the information with that element or field (such as Accomplishments, for example). Similarly, subsequently the user may decide that they wish to format the information additionally, instead of just having the text associated with a field or element label such as Accomplishments. The user may subsequently decide they wish to create fields or elements separately for Career and Publications, for example, and may do so with the present invention at any time during the life of the Information Construct. Elements, fields or sub areas of information associated with an Information Construct may be created by selecting from the predefined set provided by the present invention, or by creating custom elements, fields, or sub areas. The user may also subsequently format a field that was text, for example, as a date.

In one preferred embodiment of the invention, information constructs may all have one or more common fields, such a separate field, element or information sub area for the inclusion of the user's opinion of the importance of the information construct, in light of the project, and for a summary story about the information Construct. In another embodiment of the invention, the user is provided with options to add required or standard fields, elements or sub areas to the different Information Constructs they will be creating in their project.

The robustness and flexibility of Information Constructs provided by the present invention make them a valuable set of components, not only as part of an integrated construct, but also in conjunction with subsets of the total integrated construct,

Analysis Constructs

Referring back to FIG. 1, analysis constructs 44 are one component type provided by the archetype structure that generally enable useful views of information and constructed understanding which may provide a basis for the user to discern meaning. For example, in the educational project “What caused the development of the Constitution?”, analysis constructs might be created which included a sequence of events, a comparison of the beliefs of the different framers of the Constitution, or a visual depiction of the members who were Federalists vs. Antifederalists. Analysis constructs 44 may be developed based on previously created information constructs 42 and data 46, and may also be created based on new user's actions and not directly connected to previously created information constructs 42 or data 46. Analysis constructs may also be created and linked or otherwise referenced to other standard electronic analysis forms, such as spreadsheets.

Like information constructs, the present invention provides that analysis constructs may be defined by a unique label or title, which may be in a variety of different information media forms, including but not limited to textual characters, images, graphics or any other suitable media type. Once created, an analysis construct preferably provides a workspace for the user, which may contain text, drawings, images or a plurality of information media forms. It should be appreciated that analysis constructs as described herein include both the provisioning of an interactive workspace for the user and the storage of the information components and relationships that must be stored to enable the user to retrieve and subsequently view or edit the analysis construct.

Analysis constructs 44 may generally work as components within the larger integrated construct 10 structure. As such, analysis constructs may be labeled, referenced, and linked to the other components of the integrated construct, such as elements of the topic set 22, meaning statement set 24, and answer or summary set 26. Analysis constructs can also provide value to the user as standalone information subsets, or as constructs associated with information constructs (whether formatted or unformatted). Like information constructs, analysis constructs may also be unformatted, fully formatted or partially formatted.

FIG. 4C depicts an example of the addition of an analysis construct 1442 to an integrated construct, specifically in the case in which a topic set 22 and certain information constructs 1422, 1424 and 1426 have been defined previously for the integrated construct.

Referring again to FIG. 1, analysis constructs 44 may reference the information constructs and/or information elements. Analysis constructs 44 may show relationships between and among the information constructs 42, whether formatted, partially formatted, or unformatted, as previously described. These relationships may be based upon and built out of several different approaches by the user including, for example: (a) based on the contents of one or more information elements associated with a particular information construct 42; (b) relationships between information constructs 42 either perceived by the user or automatically defined within the integrated construct 10; and/or (c) the judgment of the user regarding the information elements within the information constructs 42, or any combination thereof. Analysis Constructs may also be created without any reference to prior created information constructs. As described more fully in the method and process later in this document, the user may create an Analysis Construct without reference to Information Constructs, either through the use of Unstructured Notes, or through the direct creation of an Analysis Construct using the drawing, text, image, and video import capabilities associated with the Analysis Construct. For example, a user may choose to draw the relationships he or she has been seeing in the information collected, or sketch a diagram of a hypothetical causation relationship freehand, as opposed to using the preformatted Analysis Constructs or specific references to the Information Constructs themselves.

FIGS. 5H-10 generally depicts examples of relationships that may be defined in one embodiment of the present invention between analysis constructs 44 a and information constructs 1422, 1424, 1426, and 1428 in an integrated construct.

In a preferred embodiment, analysis constructs 44 may be used in conjunction with information constructs 42 and unstructured data 46 to comprise the knowledge construct 40 portion of the integrated construct 10. Capabilities of analysis constructs in a preferred embodiment may generally include for example, but not limited to, the following abilities: (a) analysis constructs may reference, link and display information construct labels and/or icons or summary depictions in order to enable views and create understanding across individual information constructs, while still maintaining links to the detail within those information constructs for access by the user when desired; (b) analysis constructs may reference, link to and display information elements from within information constructs with similar access to related detail information; (c) analysis constructs may generate analysis construct views or portions of analysis construct views based on the contents of the information elements associated with specific Information constructs (as in the construction of a timeline from date elements within information constructs); (d) analysis constructs may enable the user to create a depiction of their understanding freeform, through text, drawings, graphics, images or other media forms (as in drawing the causal relationships between concepts or issues they have identified in their project); and, as described previously, (e) analysis constructs may provide visual representations and/or reference links to analyses created with other software or electronic capabilities, including but not limited to spreadsheets, graphs, images, and others.

FIGS. 5H-20 illustrates an example of a partially completed workspace 44 b for an analysis construct. In this particular embodiment, the analysis construct 44 b provides a view of understanding of information across different information constructs, as depicted in the “event” icons and labels shown on FIGS. 5H-20. The present invention enables the user to create a particular analysis view across multiple information constructs. At the same time, any detail information elements associated with each of the information constructs may be available to the user by selecting the individual information construct and having the view manager (see FIG. 3) display the detailed information elements for the selected information construct.

In one preferred embodiment, analysis constructs may also include fields such as a field associated with each unique analysis construct for the creation and entry by the user of an observational or summary statement about the analysis construct. This observational or summary statement field is generally preferably textual, but may also be comprised of a plurality of information media forms. An example of such an observational field is show in FIGS. 5H-20, which is an example of a partially completed analysis construct. In one preferred embodiment, observations that are entered associated with an analysis construct are then later made available to the user in a combined view as basis for creating higher-level meaning (see later descriptions of method and process and representations).

In one embodiment, the present invention provides for the ability to save formats created for analysis constructs for future use. For example, the format illustrated in FIGS. 5H-30 may be saved as “history timeline.” In this way, a user can create new analysis constructs with new content and less work than the original analysis construct. In one preferred embodiment, the method, process and system provide a set of preformatted analysis constructs as models to choose from for the user.

For example, in one embodiment, the present invention provides preformatted analysis constructs for sequence, timeline, qualitative comparison and contrast, quantitative comparison, categorization analysis, family tree, and causation analysis. It should be readily apparent that additional preformatted analysis constructs are obvious extensions and well within the scope and intent of the present invention, especially if they share the same general fields and capabilities and relationships with respect to information constructs as described herein.

For preformatted analysis constructs (whether provided as standard with the method and process of the invention, or created as custom and saved by the user), the preferred embodiment provides the additional ability to automatically generate analysis constructs based on the data contained in or associated with information constructs and/or their fields or elements. For example, if information constructs have been created with fields or elements of type “date” associated with them, then the user is able to select those dates and automatically generate a timeline for their review. Similarly, if information constructs have been created with commonly defined fields or elements, then the user is able to select those commonly defined fields or elements and automatically generate a compare and contrast analysis construct. Once generated, the user is able to decide about the generated analysis construct whether to “keep as is,” “modify” or “delete” the analysis construct.

In a preferred embodiment, analysis constructs as a type of component or class generally include 1.) a title, number, label or other identifier and 2.) an observational or other summary field or fields; 3.) a backdrop visual and/or overall structure for the analysis construct; and then may include any or all of the following: 4.) a structure for the inclusion of information constructs and/or information elements, 5) visual and/or data references to whole information constructs, summary views of the selected information constructs, and/or the elements or fields associated with Information Constructs; 6.) the inclusion of tools provided specifically by the present invention, as described further elsewhere herein, 7.) unstructured information notes; 8.) the creation of drawing, links with or without labels or other visual depictions by the user, and/or 9.) drawings, text, images or videos included with the analysis construct as provided by the user, and others.

In the preferred embodiment, the archetype structure provides for the ability to create analysis constructs that include references to other software tools.

Meaning Statement Set

Referring back to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment facilitates the creation of a meaning statement set 24, preferably as a portion of the thinking construct 20 of a completed inquiry project and integrated construct 10. The meaning statement set 24 generally includes the collection of statements or other informational depictions and their relationships to one another and to other project components, as created by the user to represent understanding, meaning and judgment about the knowledge construct components, whether in the form of a hypothesis, idea or a fully formed set of conclusions or understanding. Continuing the example for the project “What caused the development of the Constitution?”, meaning statements might include items like “Framers had some very different beliefs” and “Big states and little states wanted different approaches.” Meaning statements can be developed at different levels of specificity and abstraction, and the present invention assists in building higher levels of meaning from lower level, or more specific statements of meaning (as described further in the method and process and representations for the system).

In one embodiment, individual meaning statements as a type or class of component available to the ITKC are generally uniquely identified by their contents. In one embodiment of the present invention, meaning statements may be assigned a unique number identifier and/or a reference as well. Although one embodiment of the present invention includes meaning statements made up of textual characters, the method and system of the present invention also facilitates the use of drawings, images, and a plurality of other media forms as meaning statements.

In a preferred embodiment, the method and system provide that meaning statements may exist independently as a part of an integrated construct (i.e., not linked to any other components or group of components of the integrated construct), or may be linked to any one or more or all of the components of the integrated construct. Links among meaning statements and between meaning statements and other components of the integrated construct may be added, changed, or deleted using the method and system of the preferred embodiment.

In one embodiment, meaning statements may be assigned a relationship to one another, including but not limited to supporting, contradicting and others. Meaning statements may also be assigned a lateral relationship to one another. FIG. 4D illustrates an example of one embodiment of the relationships inherent in the addition of a meaning statement 1242 to an integrated construct, specifically in the case in which a topic set 22, some information constructs 1422, 1424, and 1426, and an analysis construct 1442 have been defined for the integrated construct previously. In one embodiment, the relationships between a meaning statement and another type of component of an integrated construct may similarly be constructed and labeled as to its type. For example, a meaning statement may be linked to an analysis construct (or to a portion of an analysis construct) with a link indicating that the meaning statement is “supported by” the analysis construct. Similarly, a meaning statement may be linked to an information construct or a portion of an information construct with a link indicating that the meaning statement is “not supported by” or “is contradicted by” the information construct or portion of the information construct. In one embodiment, the present invention provides the user with a number of predefined link types for their selection and use, included but not limited to link types such as “supports”, “contradicts”, “is related to”, and others. In one preferred embodiment, the present invention also provides the user the capability to define their own label for the link. Meaning statements may be linked to one another in hierarchical, lateral or other relationships and also labeled. One preferred embodiment facilitates the linking of multiple meaning statements to one another at least partially through hierarchical relationships, to allow the building up of lower level, more specific meaning statements to higher level, more comprehensive meaning statements, eventually in support of the chosen answer for the project.

As discussed below, in one preferred embodiment, in the case of the use of multiple or alternative answers, one integrated construct may have multiple sets of meaning statements. These multiple sets of meaning statements may be related to the respective alternative answers, regardless of the stage of completion of the answer. The present invention also provides the user with the ability to create multiple meaning statement sets as a means of creating alternative “views of meaning” across the same or similar sets of knowledge components. Alternative or multiple sets of meaning statements associated with the same integrated construct may have all, some, or none of the same meaning statements and linkages associated with them. Similarly, alternative or multiple sets of meaning statements associated with the same integrated construct may have all, some or none of the same information constructs, analysis constructs, and topics associated with them.

In one preferred embodiment, the creation of meaning statements provides one means for the system to subset the project as a whole into meaningful subsets, for work and consideration by the user. Such a subset or individual meaning statement “view” is more fully described later in the representation discussion. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention also provides for a view of all meaning statements with their associated supporting observations, importance statements, or other supporting links to knowledge constructs such as information constructs and/or analysis constructs.

Answer or Summary Set

Referring back to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment facilitates the development of the answer or summary component or answer or summary set 26 of the integrated construct 10, that is preferably a portion of the thinking construct 20 of an integrated construct. The answer or summary set 26 may be made up of textual characters, and/or a drawing, image, graphic, diagram, or a plurality of other information media forms. The answer or summary set 26 is preferably linked to the main topic of the integrated construct, especially in a completed construct. The answer or summary set 26 preferably may be linked via the link manager to meaning statements 24. In one embodiment of the present invention, links between the answer or summary set and meaning statements set can be labeled and categorized, including but not limited to such relationships as supportive or consistent with the answer or summary, or refuting or being inconsistent with the answer or summary set. The answer or summary set may similarly be linked via the link manager to information constructs 42, analysis constructs 44, unstructured data 46 or any other component that may be associated with the integrated construct 10.

One embodiment of the present invention provides for the creation of the answer or summary set 26 which may include one or more answers or summaries, such as with alternative answers or summaries under consideration by the user, which may be associated at the same time to the same integrated construct 10. Similarly, in this embodiment of the present invention, the linkages 60 between the multiple answers or summary and meaning statements or other components can differ, according to the specific answer or summary being linked. For example, answer “A” may have links to meaning statements “A,” “B” and “C,” while answer “B” may have links to meaning statement “B,” “D” and “E.”

The answer or summary set is preferably available to the user throughout the course of the use of the present invention in developing and editing an integrated construct, and may therefore be changed or added to in the course of the project. This enables users to develop initial answers and refine those answers as the user's work on the project proceeds. Such actions may be included as the present invention documents and tracks the user's thinking processes, and subsequently makes such tracking available.

In one preferred embodiment, the answer or summary set may also be associated with a definition by the user of the goals, requirements, or characteristics regarding what is important that the answer or summary Set achieve. These goals, requirements, characteristics or other description of what the answer or summary set should be like are similarly available to the user throughout the course of the project for adding, editing, or deleting.

One Embodiment of Software Architecture

In one embodiment, the general modules of the software architecture as depicted in FIG. 3 of one preferred embodiment interact with one another in a manner as depicted generally in FIG. 3A. Referring to FIG. 3A, the archetype process and system of the present invention facilitate the process and present options to users in the form of views and available portions of method or functions. In a preferred embodiment, such representation may take the form of a graphical user interface, as indicated in block 100. Users may generally select among available options as presented in the views, and signal an action to the present invention through a plurality of interaction devices and approaches as described above and indicated in block 110. In the preferred embodiment, the process manager evaluates the user event, as shown in block 302, and may respond in a number of ways, based on an evaluation of the action taken by the user, the history of user actions, archetype process and structure inference and completion rules, as indicated in block 3000, status of the integrated construct at the time, as evaluated in block 320, the specific portion of process being conducted by the user as indicated by their placement in the system at the time, and other relevant factors. Options for response to a user event block 110 following evaluation block 302 may include, but are not limited to the following: (i) change and re-optimize the view as indicated in block 205 and facilitated then by the view manager 200 or similar module; (ii) suggest one or more actions or alternative actions to the user based on the evaluation of the event (block 302) and ITKC status (block 320) as indicated in block 390 and then represented to the user through the View Manager, block 200; (iii) create a new component in content and/or structure as indicated in block 420 and facilitated by the process manager 400 or similar module; (iv) modify or delete an existing component both with regard to content and/or structure as indicated by block 420 and facilitated by the process manager 400 or similar module and update manager 700 or similar module; (v) create new or modify existing (automated or user created) linkages between or among components as indicated by block 605 and facilitated by the linkage manager 600 or similar module; and (vi) access and associate external data or informational sources as indicated by block 905 and facilitated by external electronic sources and the update manager or similar module 700, which may then be followed by additional user events such as creating new component, or modifying components as indicated in block 420

In this application, the aforementioned software architecture is provided as one embodiment of the general modules that may be used to implement and provide the present invention. It should be readily appreciated, however, that many alternatives in the definition, boundaries and structure of the software modules used to accomplish the capabilities and functionality of the present invention could be utilized in accordance with the present invention.

Returning again to the overall software architecture of one embodiment of the present invention as depicted in FIG. 3, the general modules of the architecture of one embodiment are described in greater detail below. The description of the Process Manager and the method and process of the present invention is below, followed by further description of the other software architecture modules of one embodiment, and later a description of a set of representations that provide the method and process to the user in one embodiment.

Process Manager: Method and Process

Returning again to FIG. 3, the process manager 300 or similar modules facilitate the archetype process. Referring to FIG. 3A, the process manager (blocks 300, 400 and further detailed in additional charts using the 500's series) evaluates the user event (block 302) and accordingly provides a response to the user that facilitates the method and process of the present invention, whether to change the view through the view manager (block 205), provide a suggestion to the user through the process manager suggestor (block 390), provide and allow the user to select among process portions being provided in the present view (block 405), whether the user chooses to access process portions such as assistance tools or others, (block 410), or to create or modify an ITKC component (block 420), create or modify a link through the linkage manager (block 600) or access external electronic information sources (block 800). The process manager further evaluates the user event (block 302) and the status of the ITKC components and structure (block 320), and determines if suggestions are warranted (block 370) based on a number of evaluation and inference approaches, including the archetype process and structure (block 3000) described in further detail below. In conjunction with the guiding nature of the design of the representations and views provided by the present invention, the process manager thus facilitates a guided process for the user which emulates the thinking and working methods used by expert problem solvers with regard to arbitrary problems and inquiry based projects and responds to user's actions throughout the course of the project. In one preferred embodiment, the user has the choice of (i) ignoring the suggestion(s) made by the process manager, (ii) acting on the specific suggestion, or (iii) saving the suggestion for future consideration.

The portions of the archetype process can be used individually, as a total set, or in any subset combination, depending upon the user's needs for a particular project. Portions of the integrated construct method and process include the following major components that are shown in FIG. 5. In one embodiment, the method and process provided by the archetype process generally include the following thinking and working functions: (i) project initiation as indicated by block 510; (ii) definition of project goals and problem as indicated by block 520; (iii) definition of and revision of project structures, being structures for thinking and working as indicated by block 540; (iv) determining and revising a project plan and to do list as indicated by block 535 (v) evaluating progress and deciding what thinking and knowledge work to do next, as indicated in block 550; (vi) selecting the appropriate subset for thinking and working, as indicated in block 555; (vii) conducting research and gathering information, as indicated in block 560; (viii) organizing information, especially through constructing, formatting and/or acquiring information for information constructs to be included in the integrated construct for the project as indicated by block 562: (ix) developing and associating analyses to the project, and defining and constructing analysis constructs to be included in the integrated construct for the project as indicated by block 564; (x) developing conclusions and meaning, especially through defining and constructing the set of meaning statements to be included in the integrated construct as indicated by block 570; (xi) developing and constructing the overall answer or summary set or portion of the integrated construct for the project as indicated by block 580; (xii) evaluating whether the answer or summary set is complete, and has met the goals and answered or solved the original problem as indicated by block 585; and (xiii) creating and formatting the presentational version of the project results, as indicated by block 590. Throughout process portions (i) to (xiii), the linkage manager defines and manages linkages among and between the components of the integrated construct, as described more fully in the discussion of the linkage manager (as indicated by block 600 on FIG. 3A) below.

FIG. 5 depicts example navigation paths that generally may be provided between the major method and process work portions of the archetype process. Referring to FIG. 5, the process in one embodiment is preferably modular and generally enables multiple starting or entry points, and flexible iteration or mobility between the intermediate process portions within general guiding approaches facilitated by the archetype process. In a preferred embodiment, the archetype provides guidance to the user according to approaches preferred by expert problem solvers, but also generally enable navigation between many of the process portions. In a preferred embodiment, the ability to navigate to portions of process which are deemed less immediately related to the current process portion for the user are made available in less easily visible or accessible ways, such as through the use of a drop down menu, or visually depicted in a more removed location, as described more fully in the view description, as one means to help guide the user along the preferred navigational paths. The system generally also provides the ability to move between levels of detail within and between the process steps, as described herein. It should be appreciated that the method and process functions may be performed at additional points in the overall process in accordance with the present invention.

In a preferred embodiment, portions of the archetype process and methods may be provided and differentiated to the user in several ways, including but not limited to: (i) through the view which is presented and which may focus the user on a portion of the process or a specific type of thinking and knowledge work they have selected or has been suggested by the process manager, based on the archetype process or archetype structure, that needs to be done; (ii) through the set of interrelated views which are presented and which provide to the user access to portions of process and/or methods in useful combinations with portions of the content and structure of the integrated construct, as described more fully below (iii) through the overall visual map or overview of the project that is provided by the system and which helps indicate to the user the degree of completeness and which types of thinking or problem solving approaches have been used or accessed vs. those which have not been used or accessed, (iv) direct suggestions to the user, as described more fully below, and others. In one embodiment, some portions of process and methods may be encapsulated and presented to the user as a software “tool,” or subset of method and functionality, as in a tool to construct new information constructs, a tool to construct new analysis constructs, a tool to provide help and suggestions regarding the selection and construction of the topic set. It should be readily appreciated that providing the same functionality in different encapsulations or boundaries for such logic is in accordance with the present invention.

Process Manager Guidance of User Interaction and ITKC Development

The preferred embodiment provides an approach to guiding the thinking and knowledge activities for a user to develop their thinking about an arbitrary problem through evaluating the user's actions and progress, and determining suggestions based on the archetype structure and archetype process. The present invention's visual depiction of the archetype project structure (representing content, structure, relationships, and thinking and working process) and the more detailed thinking modes or views provided by the present invention provide ongoing guidance and feedback to the user regarding the portions of thinking process they have done and should consider doing, as described more fully below. In addition, as shown in FIG. 3B, the process manager evaluates the user event (block 302), tracks the user event (block 304) to update the user history (block 330) and determines the process step and work underway by the user by evaluating the event, block 306. The process manager suggestor then determines if there are identifiable process gaps or lapses that have occurred (and especially changed with the last user event) by applying the archetype process rules in block 3100, to the current user event and situation. Specifically, the process manager may evaluate the specific working views being used by the user, the assistance tools being accessed, and the amount of interaction and time being spent in various regions or subsets of their ITKC. Such evaluation might determine, for example, that the user has not been focusing on the problem according to a subtopic specific view yet, or is using the question help tool but without results. Referring further to block 310 in FIG. 3B, the archetype process inference rules are also used as the basis for determining suggestions that might be made to assist the user, in areas that are not strictly gaps or lapses, but rather point out possible next steps.

Continuing with FIG. 3B, the process manager in a preferred embodiment also evaluates the ITKC under construction by the user (block 320 and described in further detail below), based on the archetype structure inference engine, and any suggestions so determined are combined with those defined based on the archetype process evaluation and inferences, as shown in step 370. In a preferred embodiment, the system also checks for secondary or combination impacts based on the two sources of evaluation and both archetype process and archetype structure. For example, if the archetype structure evaluation determines that the user has primarily been building meaning statements but they are not well supported by information or analysis, then the archetype process may need to also determine whether they have in fact been searching electronic sources yet. In a preferred embodiment, after suggestions are appropriately combined as indicated in block 370 in FIG. 3B, then the process manager suggestor may optimize the suggestions, as indicated in block 385 through ordering and prioritizing algorithms that may be related to the user event that has occurred, the status of the ITKC and other factors. In block 390, the process manager suggestor provides the suggestions to the view manager and the suggestions are provided to the user appropriately.

The inferences and rules used by the archetype process and the archetype structure to identify suggestions for users are different based upon the system's assessment of the current stage or phase of the ITKC.

Referring to FIGS. 3B-10, the process by which the user's ITKC is evaluated against the archetype structure is now described. As a consequence of a user event, the process manager suggestor in block 322 FIGS. 3B-10, evaluates the status of the ITKC components and linkages, with regard to the components that have been selected and included by the user, the level of structure of those components, the amount of information in the components, and their relationship with one another. In FIGS. 3B-10, block 324, the process manager suggestor then applies the archetype structure inference and completion rules, in block 3200, in order to identify gaps or lapses in the ITKC the user has built so far, as indicated in block 324. For example, the process manager suggestor may determine that certain subtopics are as yet without information, or that some meaning statements are better supported by knowledge constructs than others. Following the identification of lapses, the process manager suggestor similarly applies the archetype structure inferences and completion rules in order to identify suggestions that may be made to assist the user, as indicated in block 326. Such suggestions may be based not only on the inferences associated with the core or macro archetype structure, but significantly on applying rules based on the actions and selections that have been taken by the user thus far. For example, if a user has identified that they are working on a sequence in a project, and many of their information constructs contain dates, then the archetype structure inferences may identify the suggestion that the user try a timeline. In both the application of the archetype process and the archetype structure, the preferred embodiment incorporates a dynamic application of rules and inferences in response to decisions and choices made by the user (or choices made by another user such as a teacher, as defined elsewhere herein). These customized or dynamically applied inferences are therefore in addition to inferences and rules that may apply throughout the course of the project.

Continuing with FIGS. 3B-10, the process manager suggestor lastly in a preferred embodiment will search and evaluate relevant fields of the ITKC, preferably beginning with those that have most recently changed and the fields that are most closely related to those changed fields, as indicated in block 330. In one embodiment, the process manager suggestor searches for content specific matches to a set of archetype structure inferences that are content based. For example, the process suggestor manager may search topic fields for phrases that the archetype structure identifies as having relationships to other archetype components. Specific examples are described below. As with the other archetype evaluations, as shown in block 332, in this embodiment, if the process manager suggestor identifies matches to encoded relationships, then the archetype structure inferences in block 3200 will identify a potential suggestion to be made to the user. For example, if the topic the user has entered is “What caused the development of the Constitution?”, the process manager suggestor might suggest the user consider a timeline. As with the other archetype suggestions, the process manager then combines suggestions or lapses determined through content evaluation with those determined about structure through the archetype structure evaluation, as indicated in block 334.

In one embodiment, suggestions determined by the process manager may include but not be limited to suggestions regarding: 1.) specific types of components or advances in components the user may want to consider adding next; 2) other views and therefore other thinking or work foci that the user may want to select next; 3.) one or more information constructs, analysis constructs, topics/questions, meaning statements, or answer(s) which the user may want to revisit and review, 3.) linkages or relationships which the user may want to add, revisit and review; 4.) specific activities that the user may want to consider next, such as additional research, revisiting and revising their questions/topics, reviewing data they have collected so far, and others. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user is also able to add their own general rules or principles regarding the process they believe works best for them, in one example as thinking prompters, as described below.

In a preferred embodiment, the Process Manager may utilize a number of approaches to accomplish these evaluations and determine if one or more suggestions should be made to the user. It should be readily appreciated that an approach for determining guidance that may be useful in one type of ITKC component or thinking and knowledge activity may be employed in other types of components or activities as well. Further examples of types of inferences that may be made by the process manager suggestor in one embodiment may include the following:

1.) The process manager may determine suggestions based on comparing the existence, number, and linkages of components of the ITKC constructed by the user to those expected or desired for the archetype or exemplary structure. For example, an exemplary project may be expected to have meaning statements that are supported by one or more knowledge constructs (whether analysis constructs, information constructs, or unformatted information). In this embodiment, a meaning statement that has no knowledge construct support linked to it at the time may be evaluated by the process manager as an indication of work yet to be done by the user. Additional examples of such gaps between an exemplary project and a project as completed by the user may include items such as: topics that have little or no information or knowledge linked to them, and others. In this embodiment, the present invention's definition of the exemplary or archetype taxonomy of a inquiry based project provides a basis for gap analysis to the ITKC being developed by the user that would not be possible without such an archetype.

2.) The process manager suggestor may evaluate the user event history. For example, if most user events have been occurring in the research and data gathering regions of the system, or if the user has focused primarily on a topic by topic view and has not yet looked at the meaning that has been developing, the present invention may suggest the user “go to” the complementary or so far little used views or regions next. In one embodiment of the invention, the process manager provides a user such as a teacher with the ability to set parameters for how much emphasis the student should place on different thinking and knowledge activities and views, or how much time is to be spent accordingly, as discussed elsewhere herein.

3.) In one embodiment, the process manager may determine suggestions based on evaluating information entered by the user into the ITKC, and use of project component and relationship rules. For example, in one embodiment, the present invention may evaluate the text entered by the user into the main topic structure (for example, “What caused the development of the Constitution?” and may suggest a subtopic “What events led up to the Constitution?”

4.) In one embodiment, the process manager may determine suggestions based on identifying patterns within similar types of constructs. In one embodiment, the process manager may for example, examine and use the occurrence of patterns such as the same phrase multiple times in unstructured data notes as the basis to suggest to the user to create an information construct or grouping of the unstructured information for that phrase.

5.) Referring to block 350, in one embodiment, the process manager may determine suggestions for transitive relationships between information constructs, meaning statements, and any ITKC component which may be so logically related. For example, if information construct A has been designated through a labeled link as “like” another information construct B, and information construct B has been similarly designated by the user as “like” a third information construct C, then the process manager may prompt the user whether information construct A is also “like” information construct C. Such labeled links may also be used by the process manager to suggest other components to the user.

6.) Providing of thinking and working prompts or suggestions that are related to the specific portion of work being conducted by the user. For example, in one embodiment, the present invention preferably includes a set of thinking prompts for each analysis construct provided by the invention, to assist the user in making meaning from the analysis construct. For example, the timeline might include the availability of thinking prompters like “What things were going on at the same time?” In one embodiment of the present invention, a user is able to add their own thinking prompts to components or views for future use.

It should be appreciated that the fact that the present invention provides a common taxonomy for components and structure of an ITKC, together with a modular but guided thinking and working process, in conjunction with the use of semantic and other methods readily understood by those skilled in the art, may be used to provide a rich set of suggesting abilities in the present invention. It should also be appreciated that such evaluating and guiding approaches may be used in combination with one another, and that the addition of similar types of inference and suggesting abilities does not depart from the scope and intent of the present invention.

Returning to FIG. 3B, block 304, in one embodiment, the process manager tracks and evaluates actions taken by the user, and updates the history of user events as indicated in block 330. In one embodiment, the user event history may include some, all or any of the following: the user actions taken (which may be measured both in terms of interactions and in terms of time spent), the view and/or component the user had active in their display at the time those actions were taken, the recent history of any suggestions that may have been offered by the process manager, the user response to such suggestions, the status of the integrated construct content and linkages at the time, and other relevant tracking data. As the integrated construct is likely to be constructed during multiple use sessions, the user event history may also differentiate such user history for specific use sessions, including the tracking of date and time spent by the user. In one embodiment, the user event history tracks time duration between specific actions, as well as time spent on each view and/or component. In one embodiment, changes in the content of the integrated construct are also tracked as part of the user history. It should be appreciated that any action and change made with regard to user actions and/or the content, linkages or structure of the integrated construct may be tracked, evaluated, applied against project completion rules, and subsequently made available for reporting and review in accordance with the present invention.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the process manager stores “snapshots” of the integrated construct as part of the project user history. For example, a “snapshot” of the integrated construct—including its content, structure, and linkages—may be taken and stored at the end of each use session. In an alternative embodiment, the project assigner (such as a teacher) or the user may select how often and under what circumstances they wish to “snapshot” their integrated construct. For example, a teacher may want the integrated construct “snapshot” view taken every half hour or every hour during the student's project. The ability to compile and store a “snapshot” of the integrated construct is made meaningful at least in part because the component types of the integrated construct differentiate thinking and knowledge content and activity types. In one embodiment, the series of “snapshots” of the integrated construct provide another mechanism by which the thinking and work processes used in the completion of a project may be tracked, mapped, and made available for further consideration of how the user works or should work best.

In this manner, the Process Manager acts as an expert system component of the present invention, orchestrating a dialogue and providing suggestions to the user about the generalized inquiry project and problem solving process.

The following generally describes a course activity through the method and process of the present invention, as facilitated by the archetype process. This method and process description provides a delineation of functionality generally provided by the present invention, in conjunction with the views and representations which are the primary mechanisms for delivering the functionality, which are described in further detail later. The following description of the steps or portions of the method and process components of the present invention is provided in a logically linear fashion. However, it should be appreciated that one advantage of the present invention is that the user can navigate across and between the portions of the method and process flexibly, and through a plurality of paths, as indicated above with respect to FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, within the guided approaches provided by the representations and process manager suggestions and other approaches, as described elsewhere herein.

In the following description, the terms “project” and “integrated construct” may be used interchangeably.

Method and Process: Project Initiation and Defining Integrated Construct Title or Label

Referring to FIG. 5, specifically block 510, in order to use the method and process of the present invention and initiate an integrated construct, the present invention may prompt the user for the user name or identifier. If the user has previously defined a user name or identifier in the system, the user may type in the name or identifier, and is subsequently asked for their password in order to access the system and any previously created or saved files. If the user has never set up a user name or identifier before, or wishes to define a separate user account for any reason, then the system may provide a function to enter a new user name or identifier and password for a new account. The methods and technical approaches for implementing such a “sign on” can be conventional. Similarly, any suitable approach which provides for the identification and recognition of users and their associated integrated constructs in a manner which provides protection (when desired) and access to the integrated constructs previously created by any user, and which subsequently facilitates the use of the method and system of the present invention may be employed in accordance with the present invention.

In one embodiment, once a user has successfully entered the system, the present invention may prompt the user with a number of optional functions such as: (i) creating a new project/integrated construct; (ii) reviewing and/or subsequently editing an existing project/integrated construct; or (iii) reviewing integrated constructs saved for access by the user but originally created by other users, and others. In one embodiment of the present invention, suitable presentational indications may be made for the integrated constructs or projects that are currently under construction as well as those that are completed. In another embodiment, projects already completed may be grouped or categorized and subsequently labeled.

In one embodiment, an integrated construct is generally initiated upon the assignment of a title, label or other unique identifier for the project. If the user enters a title label that has been entered previously, the present invention may identify the previously entered integrated construct and prompt the user whether to overwrite the previously existing project, or provide a different title label to create a new project. Similarly, if the main topic statement that is entered is identical to a main topic previously created, the present invention may identify the previously created main topic and prompts the user with a number of options such as the option to: (i) overwrite the previously created integrated construct and main topic; (ii) create a new integrated construct with the same main topic; and (iii) create a new integrated construct and a new main topic. Selection of these options, prompted by the process manager and displayed by the view manager, is accomplished more specifically through the user interaction mechanisms described in greater detail in other sections herein.

Upon entering a title or label for the new integrated construct, a unique reference for a new integrated construct is preferably created, and can subsequently be displayed or depicted according to the representational approaches described more fully herein. Access attributed to this unique identifier includes the underlying content and structure of the new integrated construct in its respective stage of completion, including any linkages among or between the components of the integrated construct, and the appropriate representation thereof. In a preferred embodiment, representation of a newly created integrated construct may include delineation of regions or components of the integrated construct which have been created or which are inferred as needed by the present invention based on the archetype structure and/or archetype process but are in the project's earliest stages void of content, but may still be visible and accessible to the user (as described elsewhere herein).

In one embodiment, as for a teacher's user, the present invention may also allow a user to define guidelines or parameters for the project, which may include but not be limited to items such as the number of specific components (such as topics, information constructs, analysis constructs, etc.), the types of specific components (such as types of information constructs, for example), the characteristics of specific components (such as formatted vs. unformatted, or including certain fields, or having at least a certain number of levels, for example), and other characteristics. In addition to such parameters, a preferred embodiment allows another user, such as a teacher, to provide content specific starting points for the ITKC, and the setting of rules for the archetype process or structure.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a user has the ability to make only portions of the method and process and integrated construct available for a project, as might be done by a teacher in order to teach certain thinking or knowledge related skills to students, or as might be done for simple projects. For example, a teacher or other project assigner may wish to have students or other users focus only on portions of the total method and process and capabilities of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the project assigner can set up parameters that are later available to the project participant or user, such as project goals, project start date, project end date, and the like. Also in a preferred embodiment, the project assigner may also “turn on” or “turn off” various parts of the archetype for the duration of the project assignment. For example, a teacher may want students to create only a timeline in a particular project as their analysis construct. One preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an electronic, searchable list of all state educational standards for use by teachers in assigning projects. It should be appreciated that a number of different approaches may be used to structure and assign the project without departing from the scope of the present invention. FIG. 5A indicates the input that a teacher or other source may have on the parameters and initial content for an ITKC in block 5000.

Method and Process: Definition of Project Goals and Project Problem

Referring to FIG. 5, specifically block 520, the archetype process in a preferred embodiment facilitates the user in defining and revising the project goals and problem or topic definition for the project, as detailed more fully in FIG. 5A. Referring to FIG. 5A, block 521, in a preferred embodiment, the process manager facilitates the user preferably in further defining the project by entering a main problem or topic (for example, in an educational setting, the main topic or problem might be “What caused the development of the Constitution?”), which can be in the form of a topic statement, a problem statement, a question, a subject, an issue, or any suitable definition of an area of interest for the user as noted in the definition of the integrated construct components discussed above. The main topic may be in any suitable media form. Referring to block 524 in FIG. 5A, subsequent to the creation of a title or label and main topic for the integrated construct, the process manager, together with the view manager, provides for choice by the user, as indicated. If the user is ready to proceed with defining subtopics, (or sub-problem statements, sub-questions, sub-subjects, sub-issues or any other subdivision categorization of the area of interest) in the integrated construct, the user may choose to proceed with the process outlined below. For example, for the main topic “What caused the Constitution?”, the user might define subtopics like “Who created the Constitution?”, “What is the Constitution?”, “What events led up to the development of the Constitution?” or others, in one embodiment according to the process set forth below. If not, the definition of the problem ends. In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the process manager may provide at the same time for the user to document or enter notes, drawings or graphics or other media as their initial thoughts on knowledge and information. In one embodiment, these unstructured workspaces are labeled to be attributed to starting views on current knowledge of the user, and starting views on needs for additional knowledge or analysis. Referring to block 542 in FIG. 5A, the process manager in one embodiment also provides for the rapid ability for the user to indicate that other project structures are to be included in the project (for example, if the user in defining subtopics or the main topic determines that a timeline is appropriate to use in their project, they can select one in block 542, and it is created according to block 540 as an “empty” knowledge construct for future work). As defined elsewhere in this document, in one embodiment, the process manager may also make such suggestions to the user both with regard to specific subtopics, other project structures that should be included, and others. Subsequent to the creation of a title or label and main topic for the integrated construct, the process manager of the present invention may preferably provide four additional options to the user, which include but may not be limited to (as described in further detail below): (a) to enter initial comments or a drawing into the main answer or summary view component of the integrated construct; (b (d) to navigate to and proceed with functions associated with the project plan and to do's list. However, the method and process provide for the navigation to and choice of other components of the method, process, and associated integrated construct components if desired by the user, although the archetype process and navigational paths encourage the user in the more closely related activities as described here.

Referring to FIG. 5A, if the user selects the option to enter subdivisions or other elaboration of the main topic, the process manager in block 525 may provide options including the following: (i) creating fields for and entering information into a plurality of subdivisions of the main topic, and subdividing and linking them appropriately in a customized fashion directly; and/or (ii) use of the topic/question help assistance portion or tool as indicated in block 526 (and which is a subset of the total process manager suggestion capability as defined more fully elsewhere herein) which is available to assist users in defining and revising the topic set, in order to define subdivisions or further elaboration of the main topic and subsequent subtopics. In a preferred embodiment, subtopics may be entered as text statements, and may also take the form of a drawing, image or any other standard or suitable information form, with or without the inclusion of additional text annotation. Using the link manager, links and associations between and across levels and, individual subtopics may be created, including but not limited to the level and relationship of the subtopics to the main topic and to each other. In a preferred embodiment, multiple levels of subtopics can be entered and appropriately linked.

FIG. 5B illustrates a flow chart for transactions associated with one embodiment of an additional topic/question assistance method and process portion or tool provided by as one portion of suggestions by the process manager suggestor in one preferred embodiment As illustrated in FIG. 5B, in one embodiment, the present invention may display through the view manager the highest level of optional topic/question approach choices to the user available for such topic set assistance in block 5262 (such as by problem type, by academic subject, and others). In one embodiment, choosing a category or choice will generally lead to the ability to review samples of topics and topic structures and potential selection of the components of the sample topic structures for the user to associate with or input into the integrated construct, as described more fully below.

The following discussion refers to FIG. 5B unless otherwise noted. As shown in block 5264, he user may be presented with categories or classes of model topics, questions or problem statements for selection (for example, classes of subjects). An example of these topic/question approach choices or categories is shown generally in FIGS. 5B-10, depicted in outline form. Upon the selection of the desired category by the user, shown in block 5265, the process and system in one embodiment may also present subcategories that are available to the user related to the category that has been chosen. An example of the use of such subcategories is shown in FIGS. 5B-20. It should be appreciated that a plurality of levels of categories could be so used and be in accordance with the invention. In a preferred embodiment, as described elsewhere, herein, the process manager may also “jump” to a suggested question or topic, either through navigating the user directly to a lower level choice, or by presenting the subtopic suggestion to the user directly, or others. Continuing with FIG. 5B, block 5266, following the selection by the user of a subcategory, in one embodiment, the topic/question assistance portion or tool may provide a set of model topics or questions to the user. An example of one embodiment of such model topics is shown in FIGS. 5B-30, and an additional example embodiment of such model topics is shown in FIGS. 5B-32. Following selection by the user of a model topic, in block 5268, the topic/question assistance portion or tool may provide a set of model subtopics for the user. One embodiment for the presentation of model subtopics for the user are shown in FIG. 5B-40. It should be appreciated, however, that modifications to the exact format or appearance of model topics and model questions can be made in accordance with the present invention. It should further be appreciated that the function of providing topic/question/problem assistance in this manner can be implemented in a variety of different forms with regard to the information provided at each node of the model structures, in text, or in text supplemented with images, drawings, charts, or audio support. It should also be appreciated that although the example provided herein deals with a category, a subcategory, and then specific model topics, questions, or problem statements associated with that subcategory, additional levels of subcategories may be provided and selected and navigated in a manner similar to the manner illustrated herein in accordance with the present invention and the role of the categories, sub-categories and model topics, questions or problem statements within the larger system as a whole.

Options provided to the user by the process manager from such a display of model subtopics include, but are not limited to the following: (a) selecting the model topics, questions or problem statements individually (or as sets) “as is” for inclusion within the topic structure of their integrated construct (as indicated in block 5269 in FIG. 5B); (b) selecting the model, topics, questions, or problem statements and subsequently editing those statements as they see fit, according to standard editing techniques, for inclusion within the topic structure of their integrated construct; or (c) proceeding with entering subtopics directly, without referencing or using the model subtopics, questions, or problem statements offered by the system. If the user desires to include a model topic (question, problem, subject or issue statement) offered by the topic/question help tool, the user generally indicates their “selection” of the model topic. The selected model topic is placed into or associated with the topic set of the integrated construct currently under construction, indicated by block 5269 and the update manager block 500. The user is free to either leave the model topic “as is” or edit the model topic as they see fit. The method, process and system of the present invention enable the user to review and subsequently edit their topic structure throughout the course of their project as they wish. It should be appreciated that the Process Manager of the present invention may track and respond to actions by the user with regard to the topic set, such as prompting the user if the user indicates the desire to delete a topic or question that has knowledge constructs associated with it, as to whether the user wishes to delete the associated knowledge constructs as well, or leave them as part of the integrated construct, or associate them with a new or alternative topic or question, and other actions.

FIGS. 4A-10 is an example of topic set for an example project, “What caused the Constitution?”

Referring to FIG. 5 block 535, in one embodiment, the process manager's facilitation of a user's or users' definition of a problem or main topic in block 520 results in the creation of a project structure, namely the creation of a topic set. In a preferred embodiment, the topic set may therefore be the first project structure of the archetype structure to be created, and serves as a means to subset the project into meaningful portions for thinking and knowledge work.

Referring to FIG. 5, block 535, the process manager in one embodiment provides for the creation of a project plan for the project being initiated. As used herein, the project plan may be facilitated by the present invention in a number of different forms, from very unstructured notes and/or drawings, to a more formalized plan for activities that the user believes needs to be done. In one preferred embodiment, the creation of any project structures is then indicated in and added automatically to the project planning view for the user. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the project plan is available to the user throughout the course of the project development. As described further below, in a preferred embodiment, various views prompt the user for additional notes regarding items to consider doing next or in future, or items or additional notes on other questions they have defined. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process manager collects such notes together and provides them to the user as input to development of a project plan.

In one embodiment, the present invention may provide a number of model projects or templates from which the user can select in order to structure their project initially. Selecting such model projects or templates allows for the creation of a skeleton project in a quick start fashion, and may include a plurality of components, such as starting topics, starting information constructs, starting analysis constructs, skeleton or starting meaning statements or alternative answers, as well as starting or suggestions for activities. In one embodiment of this capability, the present invention may provide suggestions and options for project components and activities in response to the selection of characteristics or goals for the project by the user. In another embodiment, the present invention provides for model ITKC's for projects depending upon their problem or project type. It should be appreciated that the design of the archetype structure and archetype process lend themselves ready to additional methods of creating starting points for projects, and that these are within the scope of the present invention.

Referring again to FIG. 5 block 550, the process manager together with the view manager provides ongoing mechanisms and in some cases suggestions to the user or users regarding evaluating the ITKC's progress and the user's actions and deciding what to do next (as described in greater detail elsewhere herein). Such evaluation, together with the ability to easily subset the thinking and knowledge work according to approaches and combinations used by expert problem solvers, provide an ongoing ability to develop the thinking and knowledge associated with the problem not possible otherwise.

Referring again to FIG. 5, in block 555, the process manager facilitates and guides the user in selecting the appropriate subset for thinking and working on the project at various times through the course of the project's development.

Method and Process: Editing the Integrated Construct

Referring to FIG. 3A, in a preferred embodiment, the process manager provides the user with the ability to generally review and modify all components that are in existence at that time part of an integrated construct. In one embodiment, as described more fully elsewhere herein, the process manager through the view manager may facilitate such modification by being selected in a suitable view provided to the user in which they appear. In one embodiment of the present invention, the selection of the integrated construct component occurs through placing the computer mouse in a position to cause the pointer to appear over the icon or high level representation of the component on the representation. In one embodiment, the user then double clicks the icon or high level representation for the integrated construct component, and is presented with access to the detail of the contents, structure, linkages and label for that component. In one embodiment, one interaction with regard to a icon or highest level representation of a component (such as a double click of a mouse) may present a summary set of information about that component, while a second interaction may provide a lower, more detailed level of information about that component. In another embodiment, a left click on a mouse might present a summary view of a component while a right click might present a linkage view of that component. Views and representations are described more fully in the last section of this document. In this embodiment, elements associated with the selected component are then generally editable, through a commonly accepted mechanism for interacting with computer software, as long as such elements or the information constructs have not previously been designated as “protected In some instances, as described elsewhere herein, and indicated by block 370 of FIG. 3A, the process manager may make specific suggestions to the user related to modifying components.

Referring again to FIG. 5, the process manager in a preferred embodiment facilitates the user in conducting research and gathering information to be associated with their project and integrated construct (block 560), as well as organizing the data and information (chiefly through the creation of information constructs) as indicated in block 562, and/or developing or associating analyses with the project and integrated constructs (chiefly through the creation and association of analysis constructs) as indicated by block 564.

The functions to conduct research, organize information and create, information constructs and develop analyses and analysis constructs into or to be associated with the integrated construct, are in a preferred embodiment encouraged and made available from a plurality of different method and process and subset view points within the process and system, as indicated by block 555. In a preferred embodiment, the process manager may facilitate the user in conducting research and developing knowledge constructs from a number of different thinking foci, including but not limited to, for example: while focusing on an individual topic or subtopic, while focusing on the development of the set or a particular analysis construct, while focusing on a specific meaning statement, and others. As an example, the process and system facilitates the user to gather information through research, and add, edit, or delete knowledge constructs (i.e., information constructs and information elements and/or or analysis constructs) to be associated with the integrated construct from the workspace shown on the example representation layout depicted in FIG. 7A, example embodiment of a 3-D individual subtopic view. A specific example of one embodiment of this individual subtopic representation view is provided in FIGS. 7A-10.

In one such embodiment, for example, with the topic, problem or question of interest visibly apparent as shown for example in FIG. 7A, the process manager focuses the user on a particular subtopic, and encourages the user to conduct knowledge development activities accordingly including but not limited to: (i) the user can access electronic information sources, as described below, while focusing on the particular subtopic; (ii) the user can peruse and edit the knowledge constructs which are already associated with that topic, problem, or question, according to any of a number of commonly accepted editing techniques and described more fully below; (iii) the can also choose to enter data and information items into a new or an existing knowledge construct, directly and/or from other available electronic information sources or data provided via networks, including but not limited to the Internet or an Intranet; (iii) the user can choose to create a new knowledge construct to be associated with the particular subtopic selected; and (iv) the user is encouraged by the process manager to develop meaning statements focused on the subtopic selected at that point in time, and others. These individual knowledge building functions are described more fully below.

Similarly, as a further example of block 555 in FIG. 5, the process manager may suggest or the user may choose to work on their integrated construct content and to add or edit knowledge constructs from the reference point shown on the example representation illustrated in FIG. 7C, an example embodiment of a 3-D individual meaning statement representation or view. The process and system also enable the user to add or edit knowledge constructs from the reference point of working on an individual information construct or analysis construct and its associated content—or an the set of information constructs or analysis constructs—as also described in a later section.

Method and Process: Direct Entry of Information

Referring back to FIG. 5, as a part of block 560, in one embodiment, the present invention facilitates the user directly entering or associating data or information items with a component of the integrated construct using an input device. In one embodiment of the present invention, the input device is a computer keyboard. However, it should be appreciated that the entry of alphanumerical characters, numbers, symbols, drawings, etc. can be similarly achieved through other specific data entry mechanisms in accordance with the present invention (as described herein regarding user interaction approaches).

In one embodiment, as depicted in FIG. 3A block 302, the system monitors the user's position relative to the representation being provided. When the user selects a displayed portion or component of the integrated construct, the process manager generally provides the detailed view of the selected component or portion, via the view manager. The representation then generally enables the user to enter information into the fields or entry space as provided for the selected components and/or adjust the format of the information. The information being entered may be generally in the form of alphanumeric characters, a drawing, or graphic depiction (in addition to the many forms of information that may be associated with or entered into the integrated construct as described above). Information previously entered and generally associated with the selected integrated construct component generally is subsequently made available for editing, additions, or deletion, as described above. In one preferred embodiment, the process and system of the present invention also allows for the entry by the user of information into a data storage area which may not be associated with any specific component of the integrated construct, but rather is to be associated with the integrated construct as a whole, primarily in the form of an unstructured information construct. Any information so entered or edited may be subsequently associated with previously or newly created labels or titles of components or information elements.

Method and Process: Entry of Information from Other Electronic Sources

Referring again to FIG. 5E, block 905, the process manager in one preferred embodiment facilitates access to and copying of or referencing to information from any source which allows such copying or associating to be accomplished, and in any suitable media form of electronic information. Referring to FIG. 5E, which illustrates the general process for transactions associated with acquiring information from other electronic sources, in one embodiment of the present invention, the process manager detects the event of the user selection of the function to conduct electronic research as indicated in block 905. Alternatively, the user may leave the present invention and independently launch a browser or open another electronic information source, and the process manager will facilitate the adding or associating of electronic content in a manner which is the same in FIG. 5E for steps 910 through 920. Upon detection of the event in block FIG. 5E 905, the process manager may generally suspend or otherwise hold the functions of the process and system of the present invention underway at that time, and provide the user with the ability to or otherwise allows the user to either launch the Internet browser or open the other external electronic information source. In one embodiment, the selection of the browser or other electronic source is determined by user options associated with project initiation and setup (as for example, in the setting of the default or preferred browser, or the preselection of specific electronic sources, as might be done by a teacher in assigning a project), as indicated in FIG. 5E block 515. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a button or other suitable device to the user specifically to initiate the use of other electronic information sources, as indicated in FIG. 5E, block 907. For purposes of illustration, the following description focuses on the acquisition of information via an Internet browser. However, it should be appreciated that the process for including information from other electronic sources that allow such access and use are accomplished in generally a similar manner.

Continuing with FIG. 5E, in block 908, the process manager may prompt the user with whether the user wishes to automatically enter a particular subtopic or main topic into the target information source's search field (and this may be specified in advance as part of user options block 515, as described above). If such automatic entry is desired, the process manager sends the subtopic or topic content to the electronic search field, as indicated by FIG. 5E block 808. If not, in one embodiment, upon launch of an Internet browser (or similar launch or opening of an available electronic information source), the Internet browser may be made visible and actionable to the user, along with the representation selected at that time of regions and components of the integrated construct. Access to several functions associated with the method and process of the present invention are preferably available generally at the same time that perusal of the electronic information as noted above occurs.

Referring to FIG. 5E, in one embodiment, the process manager or similar module monitors inputs from the user concerning placement on the computer screen or other display device. In one embodiment, the process manager may provide to the user the ability to send a transaction or message from the present invention to launch an Internet browser or otherwise open or launch another source of electronic information. In another embodiment, the process manager tracks the location of the mouse pointer or cursor on or in the representation or display, and notifies the process manager whether the user is positioned and activated within the representation of the present invention, or is currently positioned outside of the representation of the present invention. In one embodiment, if the cursor or other display mechanism has left the representation of the present invention and is positioned and activated generally on or over the Internet browser or other electronic information source shown concurrently as described above, the process manager generally may complete any transactions currently underway in the integrated construct system, and may suspend or otherwise holds activity within the integrated construct system, and waits until the cursor or other display and interaction mechanism is once again activated over or in the representation area being taken for display of the present invention before initiating further action. The methods for evaluating the position of a cursor, mouse pointer or other similar marker mechanism relative to a screen or other display device, and monitoring the interaction of the user with regard to becoming active on or in different areas shown in the representation are well known to those skilled in the art, and can be accomplished by a plurality of approaches in accordance with the present invention. In addition, many approaches could accomplish the accessibility of the ITKC to the Internet or similar sources and still be in accordance with the present invention.

Once launched or opened, as indicated in FIG. 5E block 910, in one embodiment, the Internet browser programs or electronic source programs may generally respond to and control the user's interaction with the browser or electronic source program. In one embodiment, as the user views and interacts with the Internet browser or other similarly provided electronic information set, the Internet browser or other electronic information programs control and enable the user in searching for, finding, and reviewing information of interest. In this embodiment, the ability to copy electronic information in the form of text, images, graphs, videos, or other standard forms is similar to that possible through other widely available and well understood approaches.

One embodiment of adding electronic information to the integrated construct with the present invention includes the following: referring to FIG. 5E block 911, using the functions provided by the Internet browser of choice, the user uses the mouse pointer, cursor or other interaction mechanism to select and highlight a section of text, image, or any other standard form of electronic information within the Internet browser or other electronic information source. The user may then use the functionality readily available in the Internet browser (or many electronic information sources today) to copy the selected information from the Internet browser or other electronic information source as indicated in FIG. 5E block 912. The user may then move the cursor or other interaction mechanism from the space that has been allocated for the representation of the Internet browser (or other electronic information source) to the representation space of the present invention, as indicated in Figure block 913. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user may then provide a reactivation input to the view and/or process manager, as indicated by FIG. 5E block 913, which may be a click of the computer mouse to signal the user has selected a position within the integrated construct representation space. Continuing with this illustration, in FIG. 5E block 915 the process manager in one embodiment facilitates the user in selecting an available component of the integrated construct as it exists and is displayed at that time or the user may select the function to create a new component of the integrated construct through mechanisms described elsewhere herein. As indicated in FIG. 5E block 916, in one embodiment, the user may then paste the previously copied information or information element into or to be otherwise associated with the selected component of the integrated construct. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the user may create a new component of the integrated construct, as described elsewhere in this document, and then paste the previously copied information into or to be associated with the newly created component of the integrated construct. It should be appreciated that the precise mechanism for accomplishing this copying and pasting can be achieved through a plurality of approaches, and that any such suitable mechanisms can be used in accordance with the present invention.

In one embodiment, upon pasting the previously copied electronic information into or to be associated with the desired component of the integrated construct, the process manager is notified by the transaction that completes the paste that such an entry has occurred. Referring to FIG. 5E block 917, the process manager may in one embodiment generally monitor that an “entry” has occurred, and prompts the user to enter information regarding the source of the electronic information that has just been copied. In one embodiment of the present invention, the process manager or other similar module may provide the web address that was active at the time the information was copied as the starting point. In another embodiment, the process manager may also provide the user through the view manager with the ability to enter additional information regarding the source of the copied information. In one preferred embodiment, such source information is thereafter associated with the information that has been so acquired for the integrated construct.

In one embodiment, the process manager may provide a field to accommodate the entry of additional information regarding the title and bibliographic information regarding the information item that has been entered. In a preferred embodiment, the process manager may also provide a field in which the user can enter additional notes about the source. In another embodiment, the process manager may also provide the user with an ability to evaluate the source used for the information. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user may also be provided with a number of criteria and the ability to enter a ranking associated with each of these criteria. In another embodiment of the present invention, the user may also be provided with a field or fields in which to enter comments about their evaluation of the source for the copied information. It should be appreciated that a number of data formats may be provided to the user with regard to adding information regarding the source for the copied information in accordance with the present invention. When the user has completed the user's desired amount of entering of information or comments regarding the source used for the copied information, the user generally enters an input to the process manager that the user has completed entering the additional information about the source for this entry and evaluation session. Referring to FIG. 5E block 919, in a preferred embodiment, the user may then continue with further information searching and retrieval, or resume other process portions of the present invention.

In one preferred embodiment, the process manager also evaluates the amount of information being copied from an open source and provides a warning to the user when the amount exceeds copyright limits.

Referring to FIG. 5E, as shown in block 110 and block 205, in one preferred embodiment, throughout the course of searching, locating, and retrieving or copying any desired electronic information, the process manager provides the ability to the user to change the view which is currently displayed by the present invention, as described more fully in a later section of the document.

Method and Process: Creating a New Unformatted Information Construct

Referring to FIG. 5, the process manager and archetype process facilitates the organizing of information through the definition, population, and revision of information constructs as indicated in block 562. Referring to FIG. 5C, which illustrates one embodiment of the creation of a new information construct. Referring to FIG. 5C, when the user selects the option to create a new information construct block 5621, the process manager or similar module may prompt the user for a name or title to assign to that new information construct as indicated in block 5622, and provide a field into which the user can enter an alphanumeric character string, drawing, or picture to represent the label or title to be associated with the information item within the integrated construct. The entry of information and interaction by the user may occur using any suitable entry mechanism.

In a preferred embodiment, if the user event is in response to a suggestion that has been made by the process manager, as indicated in block 5623, then the process manager creates the new information construct as specified by the process manager suggestions, as indicated in block 5628. In one embodiment, the user is provided the opportunity to accept or decline this new suggested information construct in an additional verification event.

Continuing with FIG. 5C, if the user event is not the result of response to a process manager suggestion, in one embodiment, the process manager generally evaluates that a new label or title has been entered for an information construct, and checks to see whether an identical label for an information construct has been created previously, as indicated in block 5625. If there is a match between a previously created label and a new label for the same class of information construct, the process manager generally informs the user that an identical match has been found, and prompts for whether the user wants to edit the existing information construct, overwrite the existing information construct, or change the label to be assigned to the new information construct, as indicated in block 5627. In this embodiment, if there is no duplicate information construct determined by the process manager, the process manager creates a new information construct, in block 5628 and updates the data bases accordingly through the update manager, block 700.

Referring now to FIG. 5D block 5635, in one embodiment of the present invention, the process manager may prompt the user, through the representation provided by the view manager, for the structure and content for the information construct the user desires to create. For a new, unstructured information construct, the process manager facilitates essentially the same capabilities to the user as described for modifying an information construct as described below.

Method and Process: Formatting an Information Construct

Referring to FIG. 5D, In one preferred embodiment, the process manager provides a plurality of types of information constructs available to the user, including but not limited to the following: People, Places, Things, Media, Ideas, Events, and Issues, available for choice by the user as indicated in block 5637. In a preferred embodiment, the process manager also provides the ability for the user to create custom types as indicated by block 5638, allowing the user to create a new category or type, assign user's own label and provide a description of the type). In a preferred embodiment, the process manager also provides the user with the ability to relate information elements to their custom information construct type. In a preferred embodiment, the process manager does not require the assignment of type, but provides for information constructs that are untyped (providing an unstructured note like information storage capability). In a preferred embodiment, any information construct custom type created by the user is subsequently available for use as a type. Upon selection of one of the types of information constructs provided, the user may then be presented with several options, including the option to utilize preformatted elements as part of the information construct as indicated in block 5641, create new custom formatted elements as indicated in block 5642 or the option to structure the information construct as unformatted, freeform data. If the user chooses to structure the information construct as unformatted data, the workspace and associated storage provided to the user and to be associated with the unique information construct label facilitates the inclusion of textual characters, drawings, and also for the insertion or copying and pasting of images, graphs, video, textual characters, or drawings as noted in the description of data entry and data types described elsewhere herein. Referring again to FIG. 5D, the process manager also provides the user the ability to enter or change information associated with the information construct, as indicated in block 5644 and described in further detail herein. An example of one embodiment of the entry of an unformatted information construct is shown in FIGS. 5D-10. The amount of information allowed to be included and associated with any information component label will generally vary with the precise implementation of the present invention, including the complexity and scope of the project and integrated construct chosen to be developed by the user, as well as with regard to the processing power of the device on which the present invention operates, and the robustness of the data storage and retrieval mechanisms employed. As stated above, one of the benefits of the present invention is that it provides thinking and knowledge component structures and formats which are and can be generally common or similar across very different levels of complexity of the integrated construct and information, and in the associated technology employed in any specific implementation circumstance.

As also generally indicated by block 5639 of FIG. 5D, in the course of the user working on their project, the present invention in one embodiment may also subsequently provide the ability to add or delete additional formats to the information elements associated with an information construct throughout the use of the method and system. As many or as few of the formatted information elements as the user chooses can generally be associated with a particular information construct. In a preferred embodiment, as indicated in block 5642, the present invention provides for the ability of the user to create custom information elements, with a label and an assigned type, and other characteristics. In a preferred embodiment, custom created information elements are made available to the user for reuse. It should be appreciated that any specific implementation of the present invention may make some limiting choices regarding amount of information to be associated with an information construct, depending upon the processing capabilities of the technology and data storage and retrieval mechanisms to be used, and the target user audience. For example, in one educational embodiment, the amount of information allowed for any one information construct may be limited or otherwise evaluated and flagged to the user as questionable.

The following is a detailed illustration of one embodiment of this aspect of the present invention. Upon creating a new information construct (or selecting an existing information construct), in a preferred embodiment, the assignment of a type by the user to the information construct may be monitored. Based on the type selected, the user may be provided with the ability to select among preformatted information elements to associate with the information construct being created or edited, as indicated in block 5641. For example, if the information construct “James Madison” is identified by the user as being of the type “Person,” then the preformatted information elements associated with the class of information constructs known as “People” may be provided. An example of one embodiment is shown in FIGS. 5D-20, and for a “Person” information construct preformatted information elements may include for example: birth date, death date, birth place, importance, fun facts, quotes, beliefs, accomplishments, education, family, characteristics, etc. The system may provide the user with the ability to select from among these preformatted information elements. Selection of formats for information elements by the user may be tracked, and the selected information elements may then be associated with the respective information construct label, and made available as data entry fields to the user. Some of the formatted information elements may be highly structured, such as birth date and death date. Other formatted information elements may be subsets of information storage and work space which will allow the same variety of information forms as the unformatted information component, but may be designated under a sub-label associated with the label for the information component: for example, “beliefs” may provide a space for information entry but allows significant freedom by the user in the structure or format of what information they choose to add or enter.

The present invention therefore may include the provisioning of formats for information elements associated with a plurality of categories or classes of information constructs which may then be provided in representations of the present invention as subsequent data entry and storage fields. The user may also be provided with the ability to create their own classes of information constructs and associated labeled, formatted elements for their later use.

Further referring to FIG. 5D block 5639, the process manager may enable the user to edit a previously unformatted information construct and add generally any or all of the structured formats to the information elements that may be associated with an information construct. The options and choices available to the user are generally the same or similar as those described above.

In one embodiment, if the user selects the option to add formatted elements to an existing information construct, as indicated in block 5639 FIG. 5D the present invention may provide the ability for the user to “cut and paste” or “copy and paste” information from the general, unformatted workspace associated with the information construct, or from a different formatted element, and place the information into a formatted information element, whether newly or previously associated with the information construct. In another embodiment, the present invention may enable the user to highlight or otherwise mark a section of information. A highlighted portion may also be associated with an information element format. The newly created formatted information element is generally then subsequently associated with the information construct and unique information construct's label, as described above.

As an illustration, if an unformatted information construct labeled “George Washington” has been created, and the user subsequently enters or acquires information to be associated with the “George Washington” information construct, the present invention may allow the user to later add a structured information element such as “birth date” to the “George Washington” construct, and associate a portion of the previously entered information with the structured element “birth date.” The information may be associated with the structured element “birth date” via a number of mechanisms which may include but not be limited to methods such as: (i) cutting and pasting information from unstructured data previously associated with the “George Washington” construct through direct entry as described above; (ii) copying and pasting information from other electronic sources, as described earlier herein; (iii) highlighting or otherwise marking a section of information and associating it with a format for an information element; and (iv) copying and pasting or cutting and pasting information from formatted or unformatted information elements associated with other integrated construct components created previously by the user.

As a result, in a preferred embodiment, an information construct associated with a unique label can then be associated with formatted, structured information elements and unformatted information, or a combination of structured and unstructured information. In a preferred embodiment, an information construct can also be associated with either a great deal of information, and a high number of labeled information elements, or may exist as being associated with very little information as little as the label that uniquely identifies it.

Method and Process: Creating a New Analysis Construct

Referring back to FIG. 5, as generally indicated in block 564, the method and system of the present invention preferably provides for the creation and editing of analysis constructs as one component type of the overall integrated construct, specifically as one type of knowledge construct. For example, for the educational project “What caused the development of the Constitution?”, analysis constructs created by the user might include a timeline of events leading up to the Constitution's ratification, a comparison of the beliefs of different framers, and others. (See also description of analysis construct included as part of the description of the integrated construct, included herein).

As detailed in the definition of an analysis construct included above, in a preferred embodiment, an analysis construct as implemented by the system can include any information media form. In a preferred embodiment, analysis constructs may contain or be associated with at least one field that may be a common part of all analysis constructs such as a field for entering observations or comments about the analysis construct as a whole. In a preferred embodiment, this observational or comment field which may be associated with analysis constructs may be alphanumeric, or contain an image, drawing, graphic or other media form as herein described.

In a plurality of representation views of the integrated construct and at a plurality of points in the method and process of the present invention, the process manager may provide the user with the ability to create new analysis constructs, to view existing analysis constructs, and edit those constructs, as described elsewhere herein.

Referring to FIG. 5F, which illustrates one embodiment of the process for creating a new analysis construct, the user may select the option to create a new analysis construct. If not already provided in the representation in use at the time, the process manager may provide a list or other like representation of the analysis constructs and/or analysis construct types that have been created previously for the integrated construct or are otherwise made available to the user for inclusion by the present invention. In another embodiment of the present invention, the process manager may allow for the presentation of a list of analysis constructs and/or preformatted analysis construct types that have been created previously for other integrated constructs as well. As indicated in block 5642 of FIG. 5F, in one embodiment the process manager may provide the user with a field in which to enter a label or title for the new analysis construct. As with the label or title for information constructs, in one embodiment, the label or title for an analysis construct may be a set of alphanumeric characters, a drawing or any other information media form. In one embodiment of the present invention, the process manager and update manager may also assign a unique numeric identifier to the new analysis construct.

Referring again to FIG. 5F, n one embodiment of the present invention, upon the user entering a title or label for the new analysis construct (block 5644), the contents of the title or label for the new analysis construct may be checked for a match against the title of labels associated with previously defined analysis constructs (block 5645). In one embodiment, if the contents of the new analysis construct label or title matches with the contents of the label or title for a previously created analysis construct, the user may be prompted with the a number of options, including but not limited to the following: (i) edit or change the existing analysis construct referred to by the label or title that has been entered (block 5649); (ii) overwrite or replace the existing analysis construct with the new analysis construct (block 5648); or (iii) change the label or title that has been entered for a new analysis construct to a different label or title (block 5644).

As indicated by block 5648, in one preferred embodiment, once the user has entered a new unique label or title for a new analysis construct, the system generally creates a reference for the new analysis construct. Thereafter, in that embodiment, the label or title of the new analysis construct may generally be available to be used as a reference point for several functions such as for the user: (i) o access the content associated with the new analysis construct and/or its associated observational comment field; (ii) to add to, edit or delete the content associated with the new analysis construct and/or its observational comment field; (iii) to add, delete or edit the relationships between the analysis construct and information constructs, information elements or unstructured information, and/or (iv) to link the analysis construct to other integrated construct components such as meaning statements and subtopics, or other such functions.

Method and Process: Adding Structure and Content to a New or Existing Analysis Construct

As further generally illustrated in FIG. 5G, once the process manager has facilitated the user in creating an analysis construct, the method and system of the present invention provide several ways for the user to structure or build the analysis construct and add or associate content to the analysis construct. As indicated in block 5681, if the user event is in response to a suggestion that has been made by the process manager, then the process manager in a preferred embodiment may create the analysis construct structure, as well as add any suggested information constructs or other content, and modify any suggested linkages accordingly. In one embodiment, the process manager presents each of the suggested substeps to the user for confirmation before proceeding. Referring again to FIG. 5G, in one preferred embodiment, the process manager provides the user with several options for formatting the structure of the analysis construct. As indicated in block 5663, the process manager may provide the user with a set of preformatted analysis types, indicated in block 5664. In this embodiment, if the user selects one of the preformatted analysis construct types, the process manager assigns the selected type to the analysis construct, as indicated in block 5665 and the resulting analysis construct structure in block 5674. The present invention may provide a plurality of analysis construct types to the user, which may include but not be limited to a sequence builder analysis construct, a timeline analysis construct, a qualitative comparison and contrast analysis construct, a cycle analysis construct, a freeform drawing and diagramming analysis construct and others. In one embodiment, the present invention may provide multiple versions or forms of any given analysis construct type.

Referring again to FIG. 5G, in one embodiment of the present invention, the process manager also provides the user with the ability to create custom analysis constructs, as indicated in block 5667. In one embodiment, the process manager provides the ability to define a backdrop or visual context for the analysis construct, as indicated in block 5668, a structure for the inclusion and relationships of information constructs and information elements (block 5669), the inclusion of one, any or all of a set of tools provided by the process manager (block 5670) as described more fully below, and the assignment of a label or title to the analysis construct, and if desired, a description of the analysis construct's characteristics and use. Based on these selections and actions, in one embodiment, the process manager then creates a custom analysis construct (block 5672) and may ask the user whether the user wants to save the format for future use. In one embodiment, any such saved custom analysis construct is available for future use. Referring again to block 5670, the process manager provides in one embodiment for the user to choose to include any or all of a number of tools as part of their custom analysis construct, including but not limited to: (i) a timeline bar tool, which can be placed as part of an analysis construct and provide the ability to set timeframes and intervals and serve as the basis for visual mapping of information constructs or data at the appropriate time position for the time data element included; (ii) a linking tool, which can be placed as part of a custom analysis construct and provides for the user to define and label links between information constructs, information elements, or other visual or diagramming components; (iii) a drawing and diagramming tool; (iv) a calculating tool, and others.

Continuing with FIG. 5G, block 5673, the process manager therefore creates the structured analysis construct object as defined by the user or based on a process manager suggestion above.

Referring then to FIG. 5H, block 5675, in one embodiment of the present invention, the process manager provides for several options for the user to add information, information constructs, and information elements to an analysis construct. In one embodiment, these options may include but are not limited to the following: (i), adding or associating links to information constructs in block 5676 and/or information elements in block 5677, to be referenced in or associated with the analysis constructs, alone or in combination with the other options below; (ii) adding or associating analysis content previously created in other analysis software programs which allow the copying and pasting, or referencing or access to other analysis software programs; and (iii) adding information directly to be associated with the analysis construct or creating new information constructs, in block 5678, and/or (iv) entering or associating information gathered electronically with the analysis construct, as indicated in block 5679 and described more fully elsewhere herein.

In one embodiment of the present invention, when a user selects an analysis construct to add or edit the content associated with that analysis construct, the user is presented with a workspace associated with the analysis construct. In one embodiment, the analysis construct workspace generally provides the ability to the user to add alphanumeric characters, drawing figures and/or graphic representations, as well as include or associate images, video or other information forms with the analysis constructs. The representation of the analysis construct workspace preferably includes access to the observational comment field associated with the analysis construct, an optional but common field across all analysis constructs. An example of a partially completed analysis construct of an integrated construct workspace is shown in FIGS. 5H-20.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5H-10, the process manager may provide the user the ability to add to or associate with the analysis construct references to the information constructs that have been created. The result may be a visible representation within the analysis construct workspace that such a reference and link has been made. The user can generally place these references to information constructs in any position on the analysis construct workspace while still providing for access to such items as the title of the analysis construct and any additional comment fields.

In one embodiment of the present invention, there are at least two types of links or associations provided for the user to associate information constructs to analysis constructs, as illustrated in FIGS. 5D-10 included herein and facilitated by the linkage manager. The first type may include creating a link to/from an analysis construct to/from the label or title or representative icon of an information construct as a whole. In this manner, the reference from the analysis construct is construed as reference to the entire information construct as a whole, via the reference to the label or title of the information construct. In one embodiment of the present invention, references between an analysis construct and an information construct may be depicted in representations of the present invention by several visual mechanisms, such as by the display of a title, label or icon associated with the information construct. A second type of reference between an analysis construct and an information construct may include creating a link to an analysis construct to/from an information element within an information construct. In a preferred embodiment, the linkage manager maintains and provides the data regarding the contents of the information element and the title or label or other reference to the information construct with which the information element is associated, with both available for inclusion visibly in the analysis construct. It should be appreciated that these two links forms are representative of links between information constructs and analysis constructs, and that additional forms of links may be provided in accordance with the present invention.

In one preferred embodiment, any information element so referenced, linked or included in or associated with the analysis construct is based on the content associated with the information construct at the time the analysis construct is viewed. In this manner, any updating or changes to information constructs and their respective elements are automatically also reflected in their representation and reference with regard to analysis constructs.

Method and Process: Creating a Meaning Statement Set

Referring back to FIG. 5, as generally indicated by block 570, the process manager in a preferred embodiment facilitates the user's development and revision of a set of thinking structures which comprise the thinking construct of the integrated construct, and which provide meaningful thinking and working subsets to the user. As described earlier, in a preferred embodiment, these may include, for example, a set of meaning statements for inclusion with the integrated construct. The set of meaning statements may be void in an integrated construct, may be one or may include a plurality of meaning statements and/or sub-meaning statements. As discussed earlier, in one embodiment, meaning statements are most likely to be text, but may also be created in the form of a drawing, image, diagram, or other suitable information form. Characteristics of meaning statements are generally discussed in an earlier section.

In the preferred embodiment, meaning statements may be linked to the answer or summary set, in order to indicate the logical support of the answer or summary set by some portion of the meaning statements. In another preferred embodiment, meaning statements that are linked via the link manager to the answer or summary set may also include additional designations, such as “supports,” “contradicts” or others.

As shown in FIG. 5, the work process step represented by block 570 includes defining, populating or revising a meaning statement set that can occur in a plurality of points within the overall process. FIGS. 5E-10 depicts an example meaning statement set.

In one embodiment, the process manager encourages the user to create new meaning statements at key points in the overall process, in a number of different portions of method and process. For example, the process manager provides the user with a placeholder for the creation of meaning statements that acts as a reminder and encourager to do so, in a number of different portions of the overall archetype process, including but not limited to: while working on an individual subtopic or topic and constructing relevant knowledge constructs, while working on the set of analysis and/or information constructs, while working on a particular analysis construct, and others. In one preferred embodiment, the present invention facilitates the user in the creation of meaning statements and meaning statement relationships in several ways, including but not limited to: (i) through the encouragement and prompting to develop meaning statements while the user is thinking and/or working in any individual component or particular subset view; (ii) through encouragement and prompting to consider and develop meaning statements and meaning statements relationships as a set across all or a substantial subset of the rest of the integrated construct components, and through thinking prompts provided by the process suggestor. It is an advantage of the present invention that the user is also provided a portion of method and process in which the collection of the observations and meaning statements (associated with analysis constructs, subtopics, and other meaning statements) are made available to the user as a set, hiding the underlying data and analysis details from which the meaning statements were derived, while still making the details accessible to the user (through mechanisms described elsewhere herein). It is a further advantage of the present invention that the user is provided with the ability to quickly and easily access the supporting (or conflicting) knowledge constructs and the associated subtopics, if any, from such a combined meaning statement view.

As discussed elsewhere with respect to the process manager suggestion process, in one embodiment, the process manager may access the contents and/or the labeled and structural relationships across meaning statements, and provide suggestions to the user. In one embodiment, the process manager may evaluate the contents and relationships of meaning statements and make suggestions regarding reclustering or regrouping meaning statements, suggestions regarding additional analysis constructs that may be considered, and/or identify meaning statements that are not well supported by the knowledge constructs at the time.

Method and Process: Creating an Answer or Summary Set

Referring back to FIG. 5, as generally indicated by block 580, in one embodiment, the present invention provides the user with the ability to enter or depict an overall answer or summary set for the integrated construct and its project. The overall answer or summary set may be created in a plurality of information media forms, including but not limited to text, drawings, diagrams, images, graphics, charts, etc., preferably including at least some text explanation as well. In one embodiment, the process manager may allow the user to include an analysis construct as part of the overall answer or summary, preferably along with explanatory text.

In one embodiment, the process manager facilitates the user thinking about and capturing their initial, developing and eventually final thoughts regarding what the answer or highest level summary understanding, opinion, or recommendation is for the project. The method and process step of creating an answer or summary set for the integrated construct may be accessed and accomplished by the user at generally any time after the initiation of the project. In one preferred embodiment, the answer or summary for the integrated construct is linked to the main topic, issue, question (or other designation by the user of a subject area of interest).

In another embodiment, the link between main topic and answer or summary set is created automatically by the present invention when the user enters any information into the answer or summary set construct. In another preferred embodiment, the process manager facilitates and encourages the user to link the answer or summary to meaning statements. In a preferred embodiment, the meaning statements may also be designated regarding the nature of their relationship to the answer or summary set, including relationships such as “supports,” “contradicts” and others. The answer or summary for the integrated construct may be edited and changed throughout the development, editing, and viewing of the overall integrated construct.

From certain representations of the integrated construct (as described in the representation description below), the user may select the visual area associated with the answer or summary set for the integrated construct. Alternatively, the process manager may suggest that the user access the answer or summary set for the integrated construct at various points throughout the overall method and process. For example, if the user has created a high number of information constructs and/or analysis constructs and/or observational comments associated with analysis constructs, but has not yet created an answer or summary set, the process manager may suggest that the user try taking a guess at the overall answer or summary set.

If the user has previously entered or created a portion of content (such as text, drawing, image, and/or other information media forms) to be associated with the answer or summary set of the integrated construct, that portion of content is displayed, and is available to the user for editing, additions, or deleting, according to the user interaction mechanisms defined previously in this document. The main topic as previously entered or created by the user may also be represented. If the user has not previously entered or created a portion of content to be associated with the answer or summary of the integrated construct, then the view manager may represent an empty answer or summary component to the user when this component of the integrated construct is represented

In one embodiment of the present invention, the process manager provides the user with the option to create more than one answer or summary for the integrated construct, intended as potential alternative answers or summaries. In this embodiment, with the current representation of the answer or summary being represented to the user, the user can choose to add an additional or alternative answer or summary to be associated with the integrated construct. If an additional or alternative answer or summary is so chosen by the user, a second or additional answer or summary workspace may be provided to be associated subsequently with the integrated construct. The process manager may also prompt the user to label, name, title or number the alternative answers or summary sets. Using the linkage manager, the user may then be provided with the ability to develop a second set of links between the alternative answer or summary set and the other components of the integrated construct, such as topics, information constructs, analysis constructs, and/or meaning statements. The linkage manager generally also allows the user to change links from the topic set, the meaning statement set and any linked information constructs or analysis constructs to/from the alternative answers or summary sets being developed.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the user is provided with the option to create and enter their opinion into evaluative fields with the answer or summary for the integrated construct. These evaluative fields may include a number of annotations for the evaluation of alternative answer or alternative summary sets, including for example such annotation as “pros” and “cons” for each alternative answer or summary, and/or a numeric or qualitative rating according to a plurality of dimensions to indicate the user's degree of satisfaction with any one alternative answer at a point in time. In a preferred embodiment, such evaluation is accomplished with access also to any goal statements or requirements or similar descriptions that the user entered as part of the problem definition during the course of the project.

In one embodiment, the process manager may provide suggestions regarding thinking prompts to be considered in the development of an answer or summary statement, based on various inferences, as indicated elsewhere herein. In another embodiment, the process manager may provide a subset of interactive suggestions for thinking prompts.

Link Manager

Referring to FIG. 3A, block 605, a preferred embodiment of the tool provides for a Linkage Manager or similar module, for creating, changing, maintaining, and representing multiple links that may be developed among and between selected or generally all of the components of the integrated construct. Such links may be simple or complex. Such links may be created or changed by a number of mechanisms, including but not limited to: (i) a specific user request or action (either in response to a suggestion from the process manager or initiated by the user alone), and (ii) created or suggested automatically by the present invention. The links generally represent relationships between different components of the integrated construct that are user or method and system created. The present invention also generally facilitates the selective or continual changing or updating of those links, and the addition of new links. FIGS. 4A through 4E show an example of links that may evolve between and among components of an integrated construct as generally provided by the present invention. FIG. 7A is a representation of an example of a linkage view, showing an example of content specific links supported and enabled by the archetype process and structure, as described above.

As shown in FIG. 3, the link or linkage manager or similar module generally creates, monitors changes to, maintains and in some cases suggests or automatically creates links between and among the components or elements of the components of the integrated construct. In one embodiment, the link manager generally also creates, tracks, and manages links between components of any integrated construct; and other integrated constructs or electronic content. For example, the link manager provides for the inclusion of a link to a publicly available web site on the Internet, associated with a component of an integrated construct. In another embodiment, the present invention may also provide for links between multiple integrated constructs or components of multiple integrated constructs, components of multiple integrated constructs, or elements of components of multiple integrated constructs, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, such integrated constructs and components and elements of integrated constructs may reside locally and/or remotely, on the same processor, on different processors, or on geographically dispersed processors.

Links may be created and edited between and among integrated construct components in at least two ways including but not limited to: (i) links which are specified through user actions generally according to the interaction methods and approaches described above; and (ii) links which may be suggested to the user or provided automatically by the method and system of the present invention, and which may be available to the user to change or delete if desired, as described below. It should be appreciated that numerous alternative methods or technology approaches can be used to accomplish the creation, tracking, maintenance and representation of links among and between components of the integrated construct in accordance with the present invention. In addition, as stated in other portions of this application, it is likely that the optimal choice for technology and data storage approach, for example, will be dependent upon the complexity of the integrated construct itself, and the volume of the information to be included in the components of the integrated construct.

In the integrated construct of the present invention, links between or among components may be used to indicate an association or relationship between those components. A plurality of suitable links may be provided in accordance with the present invention. Examples of the types of links that may be provided include but are not limited to: (i) hierarchical links; (ii) lateral links; and (iii) unspecified links. Each of these is discussed further below.

One link type which may be provided by the present invention includes hierarchical relationships, including but not limited to relationships such as (a) higher level and more detailed, or a whole and parts (examples of which include topics, subtopics, and secondary subtopics, or meaning statements and secondary meaning statements); and (b) supportive of or contradicting with (examples of which include answer or summary and meaning statements, or meaning statements and secondary meaning statements).

Another link type which may be provided by the present invention includes lateral relationships, including but not limited to relationships such as: (a) associative relationships (examples of which may include topics and information constructs, topics and analysis constructs, topics and meaning statements, information constructs and sources); (b) content relationships (examples of which include information elements within an information construct and a particular analysis construct, meaning statements to meaning statements, information constructs to information constructs, analysis constructs to analysis constructs); and (c) logic relationships (examples of which may include information constructs to information constructs, meaning statements to meaning statements, topics to subtopics, subtopics to subtopics, information constructs to analysis constructs).

A further link type that may be provided by the present invention may include one or more unspecified linking relationships. Similarly, the present invention may include the ability to specify that a link is likely to exist between any two components or the contents of any components without specifying the type of link at that time. In one embodiment of the present invention, this type of link is labeled as “undetermined,” “unknown,” “is related to” or provided any other suitable or user defined label. In view of the nature of the components of the integrated construct, it should be appreciated that any suitable further or additional linkage relationships which can be defined among or between groups of components or individual components (i.e., group to group, individual to individual, individual to group, and group to individual) of the integrated construct can be employed in accordance with the present invention.

In conjunction with specifying that a link exists between or among different components of an integrated construct, the present invention may provide the user with the ability to designate a label or type to the link. In one embodiment, the specification of the type to be associated with a link is provided as a field into which a user can input a text, graphic, or drawing designation as a label for the link. This enables the user to explain why the user believes a relationship exists and to define the nature of the relationship between two or more components and thus the purpose of the link. This is one of the functions that also allows the present invention to track and document the user's thinking. The user can subsequently change or add to the links or the reasons associated with the links and therefore this linking assists in enabling the present invention to track and document the user's thinking process. The present invention may in one embodiment save subsequently changed links to track and allow the user and others to see how the user's thinking process progressed, as it does with other integrated construct components. This may allow another person such as (i) a teacher to see the links created by the user and why the user created such links, or (ii) a person or team to share their reasoning and thinking in a project with another person or team. Such sharing can help the user in refining and developing the user's thinking processes. Such tracking may also provide the user with an ability to review their own patterns of thinking and linking in the course of completing their project.

In another embodiment, the user can specify the nature of any link by the designation of an arrow-like direction (either direction or a two-way relationship). In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the specification of the type to be associated with a link may be accomplished by the present invention providing a menu of link types from which to choose. It should be appreciated that there are a plurality of approaches to accomplishing the user's ability to indicate a type or nature of the relationship to be associated with a link between or among components of the integrated construct that could be used in accordance with the present invention.

The present invention provides for some linkages between and among components of the integrated construct that may be provided automatically. For example, in one embodiment, the present invention may provide for the automatic creation of links between components based upon the characteristics of the representation or view the user is using at the time a new component is created. For example, if a user is using a representation of a specific topic view at the time the user creates a new information construct, then the present invention may automatically specify a link between the information construct and the specific topic that was the focus of the view at the time of the information construct's creation. Similarly, for example, if a user is using a representation of a specific analysis construct at the time that an information construct is created, the present invention may automatically link the information construct to the analysis construct and suggest to the user that they specify how the information construct is related to the analysis construct, or delete such a recommended link. Such automatic linking makes the process of creating and managing relationships across project components—which can become very complex—significantly easier and more productive for the user.

In yet another example of automatic linkages that may be provided by the present invention, the present invention may provide secondary associations to the user, based on primary associations. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, if a component of the integrated construct “A” has a relationship with another component “B” and component “B” has a relationship with component “C,” then the present invention may provide the link “A has a relationship with C” as a suggestion or automatically. The archetype process may also show this secondary relationship to the user and ask whether the user wants this secondary relationship to be retained or not.

In the preferred embodiment, such automatically generated or suggested linkages do not detract from the ability of the user to then link the newly created components to other components (or in other views). By providing these and other automatic linkages or linkage suggestions, however, the present invention reduces the users effort at creating and managing such linkages and increases the probability that meaningful linkages will be created and maintained. The system may also allow the user to override any such linkages suggested or created automatically by the present invention.

View and Representation Manager

Referring now to FIG. 3, one embodiment of the view and representation manager of block 200 is described and depicted in further detail in flowcharts in FIGS. 3C, 3D-10 and 3C-20. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention includes a view and representation manager which is operable to provide to the user different representations which provide the portions of archetype process, and the associated portions or totality of the integrated construct, its content, structure, linkages as it develops. In the description that follows, a distinction is intended between “views” provided by the present invention (being combinations of portions of method and process and the content, structure, and linkages of the integrated construct so as to provide meaningful thinking and working sets) and “representations” provided (being the visual and interactive provisioning of the views to the user or users, in a plurality of visual and interactive forms). In the following description, the software module(s) that accomplish these capabilities is termed “view and representation manager” but may be referred to as “view manager” as shorthand in the description that follows. Views and representations may be changed in response to user inputs and actions, as described in greater detail below. In one embodiment, different views or representations may also be suggested by the process manager to the user, as a means of guiding the user's thinking and work, based upon the evaluation of the user's current view, activities and content progress in the integrated construct, project completion rules, and other items as described herein.

The views and representations provided by the present invention through the view and representation manager generally provide the user with several advantages, including but not limited to the following: (i) the representations accomplish guidance and feedback to the user by providing a meaningful subset of their content associated with their integrated construct and also the portions of method and process that the user is likely to want to use or may want to consider using, according to exemplary project approaches, with those portions of content; (ii) the views represent the user's ITKC and activities in various ways against the expectations of the archetype process and structure, to various degrees, as a means of providing coaching and feedback; (iii) the views and representations enable a user to work on an integrated construct from a plurality of viewpoints with easy navigation between these viewpoints, in a way which allows the user to follow their own instincts and thoughts regarding what type of thinking or knowledge work they should pursue next (such as working on an integrated construct from the perspective of “what questions was I trying to answer?” and then switching to “what do I think the answer might be?”) without having to do additional work to reconstitute the project's information; (iv) the present invention provides useful views and representation of focused thinking and/or knowledge activity type —(for example, focusing on the definition of the problem through a set of topics, focusing on analysis, or others), and useful “slices” or other subsets of combinations of the components of the integrated construct (such as the “slice” view of a particular subtopic and its associated components and method and process) which generally correspond to a natural thinking or knowledge related work process, and in so doing provide a way of guiding working on a potentially complex integrated construct and the archetype process, by subsetting the integrated construct and the appropriate portions of method and process into meaningful thinking and working views; (v) in one preferred embodiment, the views and representations may provide visualization of what next thinking and work steps are likely to be useful for the user to pursue, through a number of different approaches, such as by placing the visual depiction of the “visible next views” associated with the related work activity in proximity or otherwise visible or easily accessible from the current working view for the user, and by depicting gaps to the user; (vi) the views and representations provide a context for work by the user that in a preferred embodiment may allow the present invention to determine links that should be made automatically between components of the integrated construct, as described more fully in the discussion of the linkage manager, and others.

A later section describes examples of the views and representation types which may be provided by the present invention in one or several embodiments. In the description provided herein, reference is primarily made to replacing a current in-use view with a different view, primarily in response to user actions and requests and evaluation and optimization by the view manager and suggestions by the process manager or similar module. However, it should be readily appreciated that allowing a user to have multiple views or representations as provided by the invention visible and/or accessible at generally the same time is in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6A, a schematic of some categories of view types provided by a preferred embodiment, representations or views provided by the present invention in one embodiment may for example provide views of at least these general types, including both global representation and navigation approaches, and local or focused representation and navigation approaches. For example, referring to FIG. 6A, in one embodiment, global views may include but not be limited to: (i) views of the total integrated construct, conveyed against archetype expectations to varying degrees and levels of detail, as indicated by block 80; (ii) views which subset the total ITKC into visually distinctive regions and/or which may show the level of activity or work conducted and/or components constructed in those regions and/or slices. Examples of local navigation view types provided by one embodiment may include: (i) views of a region, being a similar type of archetype thinking or knowledge work process portion and the associated thinking or knowledge components as depicted in blocks 70, 72, 74, 76, and 78 in FIG. 6A (such as a topic set); (ii) views of a slice or subset of the integrated construct and its associated method and process, as indicated by block 82 in FIG. 6A, being a useful, generally filtered or subsetted combination of some of the components of the integrated construct and their associated portions of method and process of the present invention (for example, a meaning statement and its associated knowledge constructs), (iii) views of individual ITKC components, such as an individual information construct, as indicated by block 85 in FIG. 6A, (vi) views of sets of ITKC components, such as a set or sets of information constructs, analysis constructs, and others. Views and representations of one preferred embodiment are later described more specifically. t. It should be appreciated that different audiences may desire or respond better to somewhat different depictions or forms of these views, such as due to age or specific application differences. For example, the specific rendition of the interface for a ten-year-old user in an educational setting is likely to differ from the rendition of the interface for an adult problem solver, although the basic functionality may be very similar, and the general work steps and associated views may be generally similar. Given the general purpose nature of the integrated construct and its associated method and system, it is further expected that new or adjusted forms of representation of the integrated construct contents and their associated method and process may similarly be defined in accordance with the present invention.

As described elsewhere herein, the views and representations provided by the present invention are not dependent upon operating system, hardware, data storage and management mechanisms, nor are they dependent upon the specific programming techniques employed for their implementation or specific transactions used to accomplish the representations and their associated functionality. The views provided by the present invention largely provide the function, value and advantage inherent in the present invention largely regardless of the technical approach taken for their implementation. It is most likely that the processing capabilities of the technology used for implementation may affect the precise form and approach used to represent the view to the user (for example, using 3D images in environments with low computer processing power, as opposed to complex, fully functioning 3D rendering of the structure for the representation), as opposed to the nature of the view elements, content, and method and process to be used. The representations may also be provided in a plurality of forms, including but not limited to electronic display and printed paper or other outputs. Referring to FIG. 3C, the view and representation manager monitors user events and determines whether the user event indicates a desired change in view, as indicated by block 205. In one embodiment of the present invention, the primary user interaction device is a computer mouse, which may move a cursor or other marker on a computer screen to indicate the location of the user's activity, and a keyboard. Alternatively, in this embodiment, the view and representation manager may also monitor the placement and level of activity associated with a computer cursor placed in a position on or within the representation or view using directional or other keys on a computer keyboard. In addition, as described above, a plurality of user interaction devices may be used, including but not limited to touch screens, voice activation, stylus pen, or other interaction mechanisms Also, as described previously, the display device may be a plurality of display devices and mechanisms. In one embodiment, indicators to the view manager that a changed view is desired may include the selection by the user of a component visible in the current view, subset of a current view, visible next view, selection of different level of detail, a different view from the ITKC overview, a different view from a drop down menu, and others as described elsewhere herein. If no change in view is indicated as shown in block 205 FIG. 3C, no further action is taken.

Referring again to FIG. 3C, the view and representation manager in one embodiment determines in block 210 whether the user's selection of a new view is in response to a suggestion that has been provided by the process manager. If so, the view manager receives input regarding the recommended view parameters in block 215 from the process manager, which set the parameters for the view manager in block 270 as the basis for later filtering the contents, structure, linkages and method and process to be provided (block 272), composition of the appropriate view elements (block 275) and view optimization and rendering (block 290). Referring again to FIG. 3C block 210, in one embodiment, if the view manager determines that the changed view is not in response to a suggestion by the process manager, then the view manager evaluates the user position and action in block 220 and determines the appropriate new view parameters in block 265 which then set the parameters for the view in block 270. The view manager or similar module therefore determines and subsequently provides the appropriate view parameters to create the appropriate representation of the desired view, including the integrated construct content, structure, linkages, and appropriate associated portion of the method and process to the display or display device. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process manager or similar module may evaluate the user movements and provide suggestions to the user for next views to try, based on an evaluation of current user actions together with items such as the status of the content and structure of the integrated construct and project completion rules, as described elsewhere herein.

Referring to FIGS. 3C-10, further detail of the logic of the view and representation manager for one embodiment is shown, in order to evaluate the user position and action (block 220) and determine new view parameters, block 260. The view manager in block 222 determines the current view parameters, based upon the set of specific view definitions provided by the present invention in block 224. In one embodiment, specific view definitions may include but not be limited to some or all of the following: (i) the component types included from the ITKC (such as topics, information constructs, etc.), (ii) the basis or central component on which the ITKC components are to be filtered for inclusion in the specific view, (iii) portions of method and process to be made available to the user in the specific view, (iv) subset or level of detail to be provided for included components in the specified view, (v) linkages that are to be made visible or available to the user in the specific view, and (vi) other views which are to be made most closely available or appear to be related to the user in the specified view, and others, Referring again to FIGS. 3C-10, in one embodiment, the view and representation manager monitors whether the user has selected a next visible view (block 225) or used another means to select a different view, such as a drop down menu (block 226), or changed position within a view (block 227) which warrants a change in the filtering of components, linkages and portions of method and process (block 230) to be included in the specific view chosen by the user. Continuing with FIGS. 3C-10, in one embodiment the view manager further evaluates whether the user has indicated a desired change of detail (block 234), which sets the filter parameters in block 240 for level of detail. Continuing with FIGS. 3C-10, the view manager evaluates whether the user has indicated a change in representation type (for example, 3 dimensional, 2 dimensional, outline and matrix representational types) in block 244 or in representational type form (block 246) as the basis for determining display parameters to be used for the new view in block 250, from the display options provided by the present invention in block 242.

Referring still to FIGS. 3C-10 block 242, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention may provide for the selection of representation types by the user. Representation types as used herein refer to different types of representation or means of visually depicting a view to a user or group of users, which provide for sets of views which are generally functionally the same, but whose appearance is different in the manner in which they are represented.

The present invention, through the view manager, may in one embodiment provide the user with a number of different representation types as options for representing and displaying the integrated construct and the associated method and process portions which are provided by the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user may be provided with the following options for representation types: (i) three-dimensional representation(s); (ii) an outline or tree-type representation; (iii) two-dimensional representation(s), and (iv) a matrix representation. In addition to personal preferences for representation by different users, it is also likely that the optimal representation type for the specific integrated construct may differ by the nature, size, and complexity of the integrated construct itself.

Referring again to FIGS. 3C-10, the view and representation manager in one embodiment monitors selection by the user of representation form or shape in block 244. For each representation type provided by the present invention, there may be a plurality of specific forms or shapes provided for choice by the user. In one preferred embodiment, for example, the view manager may provide for the selection of the representation form associated with a three-dimensional representation, for example, the user may be provided with a plurality of specific three dimensional shapes from which to choose the manner in which their particular integrated construct and the associated method and process will be represented (examples of which are illustrated in FIGS. 6I-6V). It should be appreciated that a plurality of three-dimensional shapes and a plurality of degrees of visual detail in the depiction can be employed in accordance with the present invention. A more detailed explanation of the characteristics of shapes that may be optimal for use in a three-dimensional representation of the integrated construct is included in the description of the specific views set forth in the representation section below.

Continuing with FIGS. 3C-10, the view and representation manager or similar module may monitor the specific view and representation being displayed at a particular point in time, as indicated in block 222. In one embodiment, the present invention generally provides the user with the ability to change the specific view and representation being displayed through a number of different interaction mechanisms, which may include but not be limited to the following: (i) user movement of an interaction device to send an input to the view manager or process manager indicating the selection of a different view which is visible for access in the representation of the current view which may be placed as an adjacent view (referred to hereafter as visible next view); (ii) user selection of a component of the integrated construct which is visible in the current view in order to obtain a more detailed view of the content, structure and/or linkages associated with the selected component; (iii) user selection of a link which is visible in the current representation view; (iv) user selection of an area or subset of the overall integrated construct representation, which is associated with a specific view; (v) user selection of a view provided through a conventional menu list, and others.

With regard to choice (i), in one embodiment, the availability of related views may be depicted as a part of the representation in current use, or indicated or implied by the placement orientation or the integrated construct, or indicated as available at the boundaries of the screen or other display device (in the case of more detailed views in which the outer boundaries of the integrated construct are not visible). These related views are termed “visible next views” for the purposes of clarification herein. Referring to FIG. 6D, an example of a visible next view available from a specific current view block 82 a is shown in FIG. 6D block 82 b. More specifically, the view manager may present to the user both “visible next views” those for which a portion of the view is actually available, as shown in FIG. 6F block 82 a, and also views which while not immediately visible, are implied as available through their implied position, such as the implied related next views indicated by block 82 c in FIG. 6F. Referring to FIG. 6E, examples of visible next views and implied next views are indicated for one embodiment of a 2 dimensional version of the representation structure.

Returning to the discussion of the 3 dimensional representation, specifically, user selection of such a visible next view may be accomplished as follows. In one embodiment, while a particular representation is being displayed, the present invention may generally monitor user actions and inputs. In this embodiment, if the user interaction device is moved in a way to place the user interaction marker within or upon an area of the representation view which represents a different, visible next view (or up to a screen boundary that implies a visible next view), the view manager generally replaces the current view with the new view so indicated. In one embodiment of the present invention, the movement may also be accompanied by an additional user interaction message, such as a click of the computer mouse or other device, in order to verify that the user does indeed wish to move and replace the existing representation view with a different view.

With regard to choice (ii) above, in one embodiment, within any specific representation, the present invention may generally monitor whether a user selects a specific component that is at that time available in the view. Specifically, in one embodiment, the component of the integrated construct may be being displayed as part of a view as an icon, name, title, summary field, or other suitable high level representation. In one embodiment, the user may select the specific integrated construct component through the use of a computer mouse and a standard double click interaction (for example, the user might select the icon for the person information construct “James Madison” while working in the individual subtopic view with which James Madison is associated, such as the subtopic “Who created the Constitution?”. It should be appreciated that many approaches can be used to provide a message from the user to the view manager and process manager that the user has selected a component within a view in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, the view manager responds to the user event of selection of a component of the integrated construct to indicate a request for a more detailed view of that component as referenced above in (ii), and the present invention may display one, a plurality of or all of the contents, structure, and linkages associated with the selected component. In one embodiment of the present invention, this more detailed representation is provided in a pop-up like additional representation space or window on the computer screen, in the approximate position as the high level component that was selected. In one embodiment of the present invention, the detailed representation space for the selected component can also be moved and repositioned on the display area while it is open at any time. In one embodiment, more than one integrated construct component may be so visible and available to the user at the same time. Upon selection and displaying a more detailed representation of any integrated construct component, the contents and format of the selected component may be added to, changed, deleted, or reformatted as desired by the user, as described further in the method and process description of the present invention included herein.

With regard to choice (iii) above, in one embodiment, the user may also indicate the selection of a link represented as associated to a component of the integrated construct. In this embodiment, the present invention may display the component associated with the chosen link, which may not be visible in the current view, and provide the user with the ability to navigate by selecting the link to a view of the referenced or linked component, thus changing the component that is central to the view.

With regard to choice (iv) above, in one embodiment, the user may indicate the selection of an area or region of a representation, such as the topic set region as a whole from the viewpoint of working on one topic or question. In this embodiment, when the user selects such a region or other visually distinguishable area, the present invention may replace the current view with the view so selected.

With regard to choice (v) above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the options available for representation types and specific views are also made available to the user in one or a number of more conventional manners, such as through the use of a drop down menu, through the assignment of specific key combinations on the keyboard (a common convention which is typically targeted at allowing more expert users to interact with a software program more quickly and directly than pull down menus with multiple levels of options typically provide) and others.

The present invention uses a number of approaches to provide visual and process feedback to the user as they take actions. Again referring to FIG. 3A, in a preferred embodiment, when the user chooses to add or modify a component to their integrated construct (such as a new information construct) as shown in blocks 420 and 400, the process manager and update manager may add the components to the integrated construct through the update manager block 700, and the view manager may generally add the appropriate rendition of that new component to the representation view directly following the user action that initiated the action, by initiating a changed view, block 205.

Continuing with FIGS. 3C-20, in one embodiment, logic modules to optimize and render the appropriate representation are shown. In FIGS. 3C-20, block 283, the view and representation manager evaluates the intended view elements, including the number of various component types and/or the completeness of the components, that have been determined to be included in the intended new view. In one embodiment, each representation type has a set of “default” view designs or approaches that are preferred in most cases. Continuing with FIGS. 3C-20, the view manager in one embodiment may, as shown in block 284, evaluate the appropriateness of the representation type chosen by the user for the complexity, structure, number of components and other factors as evaluated by the present invention in block 283. For example, a high number and complex set of topics and subtopics may be better shown in an outline form for working than in a web like depiction as part of the 3 dimensional representation, described in greater detail below. If the view and representation manager identifies a more optimal representation type, then the suggestion is provided to the view manager, in block 290, and may result in a different user event. Continuing with FIGS. 3C-20, if the user does not wish to change their representation type, or if the representation type has not been identified by the present invention as suboptimal, then the view and representation manager in block 286 composes and optimizes the representation according to the requirements of the different representation types, such as 3 dimensional, outline, 2 dimensional matrix and more conventional approaches (described more fully elsewhere herein). Based on the representational type and the specific representation composition, in block 287, in one embodiment, the view manager determines both context graphics and content and functional elements for the new view and representation. For example, in one three dimensional embodiment which may be suitable for lower processing environments, the view manager may utilize images, such as JPEG or GIF files, which depict a three dimensional like structure in various views, as a graphic backdrop against which other actionable elements are added, in order to achieve the appearance and functionality of a three dimensional representation approach without the processing overhead associated with a full 3 dimensional rendering, which is an alternative 3 dimensional representational approach.

Continuing with FIGS. 3C-20, in one embodiment, as shown in block 288, the view manager then determines the optimal placement and size of elements and functions to be displayed in the representation. For example, in one embodiment of the 3 dimensional representation, a visual area is defined for the addition of information constructs to a specific subtopic view. In one embodiment, if less than 12 information constructs are associated with the specified subtopic, then the information constructs are shown as icons with labels, spread out evenly in the space. In another embodiment, the placement of the information constructs associated with the specific subtopic may be arranged according to their completeness and complexity of content elements and data, or according to a rating of importance as indicated by the user. In this same embodiment, if more than 12 information constructs, for example, are associated with a specific subtopic view, then the present invention in block 288 may instead display the information constructs as a scrollable list and potentially as a ranked list, with labels and reduced or non existence icons.

The present invention in one embodiment may use several different visual techniques to provide visual feedback to the user and thereby encourage appropriate thinking and knowledge behavior. For example, in one embodiment, if the new component is created and no additional information has been added to the component, the view manager may represent that new component in the appropriate view as present but empty (for example, through the depiction of an empty outline for an icon for an empty person information construct, with a title only), or otherwise lighter or less evident visually than a component with significant content. In a similar embodiment, if information is subsequently associated with the new component by the user, then the view manager may display the new component with a visual indication of no longer being empty. In one embodiment of the present invention, the distinction between empty (created but not yet used) components and those with which additional information has been associated is accomplished through the use of graphic elements which are empty or transparent and those which are later no longer transparent, or depicted in a darker and more opaque hue. It should be appreciated that a plurality of graphic and visual distinctions may be used to depict the relative completeness of a component or its links that have been added to the integrated construct in accordance with the present invention.

Continuing with FIGS. 3C-20, in block 283, in one embodiment, the view manager may count the number of subtopics, secondary subtopics, meaning statements, secondary meaning statements, information constructs and analysis constructs associated with the integrated construct, and calculate the number of sides, facets, or areas and size and angles required to render and include an appropriately sided polygon in the representation. In FIGS. 3C-20, block 287, on one embodiment, the view manager may then utilize these counts to provide representations in which visual depictions of the integrated construct correspond to the specific numbers of components in the specific integrated construct being represented. In this manner and in these embodiments, the geometry of the representation of any integrated construct in this embodiment will generally embody the number and levels of components that have been constructed by the user to date.

More specifically, in one embodiment of the three dimensional representation of the present invention, the number of visually evident sides, facets, surfaces, or areas provided visually for each region (such as the topic set region) defined by the view manager may correspond to the number of subtopics or secondary subtopics which the user has defined at that point in time. In another embodiment, the number of sides or visual areas shown for one type of the components may vary according to the number of higher level components (such as according to the number of topics as opposed to subtopics), and depict the subportions of the component as areas divided into or onto, for example, the side views, facets, surfaces or areas. In one embodiment, the view and representation manager may similarly provide visual differentiation regarding the use of different thinking and work process portions, and the underlying structure and specifically the number of components of an integrated construct if represented in the outline, two-dimensional or matrix form.

Returning to FIGS. 3C-20, in one embodiment, following determination of the appropriate contextual graphics and capabilities in block 287, and the placement of elements and functions appropriately for the desired view in block 288, the view and representation manager renders the representation view accordingly.

Further details regarding specific views and additional details on representation approaches provided by the present invention are described below. It should also be appreciated that many representation forms can be used to create the functional advantages provided by this present invention, and therefore additional representation forms do not depart from the scope or intention of the present invention as described herein.

Views and Representations

The present invention provides a set of related views and a plurality of representation approaches which display portions or the totality of or the integrated construct (including content, structure and linkages) throughout its lifecycle and enable the associated method and process of the present invention to be accessed, viewed and worked upon by the user in appropriate combinations in association with the portions or the totality of the integrated construct. The present invention's definition of elements and functions that together comprise the capabilities of the views and representations, the visual combinations provided, the feedback provided by these combinations to the user, and their navigational relationships to one another, are one manner in which the present invention facilitates and guides the user according to exemplary thinking and knowledge approaches for an inquiry based project.

Additional specification of the manner in which views and representations are provided in accordance with the present invention is included elsewhere in this document above, such as in the descriptions of the view and representation manager and of user interaction. In one embodiment of the invention, the view manager provides for the user to have more than one view of displayed at the same time.

The contents of the integrated construct may be varied, containing a plurality of components and of linkages between components, as shown in FIG. 4E. It should be appreciated that such linkages can become complex and numerous. The representations provided by the present invention provide meaningful overall and subset views of the plurality of components and relationships between components together with portions of method and process to be used by the user in the specific view which may exist at any point in the completion of a project and creation and development of an integrated thinking and knowledge construct.

As illustrated generally in FIG. 1D??, in one embodiment, the combination of views and representations provided by the present invention may enable a user to choose to work on the same integrated construct from a number of different angles or vantage points, generally without having to do additional work to edit, reconstitute, or reorganize the underlying information in order to do so.

In one embodiment, the views and representations provided by the view manager may be changed and depicted in order to provide visual representation according to changes in the integrated construct components, content, and linkages, as well as the user's or users' activity and actions in different thinking and knowledge process portions, thereby providing the user with an ongoing depiction of and guidance for the progress in developing the integrated construct for a project.

The views provided by the present invention generally provide a basis for stability and familiarity across projects and integrated constructs, as different integrated constructs will in one embodiment have similar view capabilities, which may include such common items as: method and process capabilities by general thinking and knowledge type of activity, common generally available method and process and tools, common general types of ITKC components that may be included in or associated with an integrated construct, and others. In addition, in one embodiment, the general characteristics of the views, regions and subset sections or slices provided by the present invention may be generally the same across integrated constructs, providing a familiar context for thinking and knowledge activities, even though the content provided in those views differ according to the content and structure of different integrated constructs and of an integrated construct at the point in which it is being represented.

Although general options for method and process, components and views available are in many embodiments of the present invention generally common across different occurrences of integrated constructs, representations of specific projects and integrated constructs are likely to differ in several key respects, as described in greater detail in other sections herein. For example, the views provided by the present invention of different projects and integrated constructs are likely to differ from one another in the number and complexity of the topic set being addressed, in the selection of the components for inclusion with the particular integrated construct or associated with any portion or specific component of the ITKC, in the number and completeness of components included in the integrated construct (such as information constructs and analysis constructs), in the number of thinking and work spaces created for various components, in the specific linkages, and others. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention may employ a number of different visual and design approaches in views and representations in order to depict and feedback to the user their progress so far against the exemplary and/or potential thinking and knowledge activities that may be or are intended to be done, as described elsewhere herein.

For example, in one preferred embodiment, the view and representation manager may create a representation of the ITKC and its associated thinking and working areas as a visual skeleton in the earliest steps of the user's development of their integrated construct. As the user then adds components and content to the integrated construct (as described above), the view and representation manager changes the representation accordingly. In one embodiment, for example, early portrayals of the integrated construct include representations of empty integrated construct regions or areas where no user activity has yet occurred, or where activity has occurred but no components of that region's or area's type have been created, or where the user has created “empty” components, and others. In this manner, the representations provided by the present invention are a visualization of the user's integrated construct as it develops as well as its potential for being the basis for the user to identify additional development that has not yet occurred. For example, in one embodiment, a topic or question which has been created but which has associated with it as yet no information or analysis constructs may be shown with empty working areas for the association of information constructs and analysis constructs and other related components. At a high level, such a subtopic in one embodiment would be depicted as existing but empty. In another example, the topic or question area which then had a small amount of information associated with its associated Information constructs or analysis constructs might be shown as translucent or pale in color, while the same topic or question with a significant amount of information associated with it may be shown as more opaque and brighter. The intent is to visually distinguish progress in the components and regions or areas of the integrated construct. It should be appreciated that such distinctions can be accomplished through a variety of mechanisms and not depart from the scope and intent of the present invention.

In one embodiment of the present invention, as indicated in FIGS. 3C-10 block 244, the view manager may provide user with the ability to represent the integrated construct and its associated method and process in a plurality of forms, based on the display options provided in block 242, such as the following: (i) three-dimensional representation(s); (ii) outline or tree form for representation(s); (iii) two dimensional representation(s), and (iv) matrix representation(s). In other embodiments, the present invention may provide one, some, or all of these different representational forms as choices for the user or users. In one embodiment, the user can choose to work on and view the integrated construct through any of these representations, and the view elements and associated method and process available to the user behave in generally the same way across the different representation types. Changes in representation type may be triggered to the view manager by the user through a plurality of selection mechanisms, including but not limited to use of a conventional drop down menu and others.

Referring again to FIGS. 3C-10, as shown in block 246, the present invention in one embodiment may also provide the user the ability to choose specific representation forms or shapes for a specific representation type. For example, in one 3-D embodiment of the representation provided by the present invention, the view manager also provides a choice of the specific shape in which their integrated construct will be represented, examples of which are shown for the three-dimensional representation in FIGS. 6I-6V.

In one embodiment, categories of views provided by the present invention include but are not limited to the following types, depicted schematically in FIG. 6A, each of which may provide feedback to the user on their progress relative to the scope of the view, guidance on related thinking and knowledge activities, and navigation access to the user: (i) overall or global views of the integrated construct, allowing the entirety of the integrated construct and/or the entirety of the method and process of the present invention to be represented (block 80; (ii) views which correspond to regions, thereby showing the set of like integrated construct components and method and process, associated with a common type of thinking or knowledge work (as in problem definition and topic sets, analysis and analysis constructs, etc) (blocks 70, 72, 74, 76, 78); (iii) slice or subset views, which provide a view of a collection of related components of an integrated construct and their associated method and process, and enable the user to work in meaningful subsets across the integrated construct (examples which include the individual topic view, the individual meaning statement view, and others) (block 82); and (iv) individual component views (block 85), and others. Specific examples of these view types for one embodiment of the present invention are described in the following section.

Referring to FIG. 3C in block 272, in one embodiment, the view and representation manager filters the total ITKC and its associated method and process based on parameters set for a new view, as indicated in block 270. The view manager may therefore create a plurality of views and subsets from such filtering. In one embodiment of the present invention, some of the views provided by the present invention may generally divide the integrated construct into distinctive regions, representative of different kinds of thinking and knowledge work, as shown schematically in FIG. 6A. As shown in FIG. 6, in one embodiment, these regions as represented to users of the present invention generally combine or relate different aspects of the present invention, such as these three different items: (i) the portion of the integrated construct content and its structure which is associated with a particular region, as representing a particular kind of thinking or knowledge activity (e.g., the region associated with the topics the user has defined); (ii) the portions of method and process of the present invention, which may be embedded in tools and guidance to assist the user in working on that portion of the integrated construct, and otherwise provided in the steps or portions of the method and process which that region is intended to enable; and (iii) the linkages between and among relevant components of the integrated construct content.

The present invention may use a number of different approaches to distinguish the different regions or types of thinking and knowledge work within the total representation to the user. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, such as in one of the three-dimensional representations of the integrated construct, regions (types of thinking and knowledge work and their associated content) are distinguished by the visual distinction of different bounded areas within the integrated construct representation. Examples of general regions being distinguished in a 3-D representation of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 6B and 6C. The regions may be further distinguished by color and background depiction or other graphical distinctions. In another embodiment of the present invention, the outline or tree representation form of the integrated construct, the regions may be distinguished by the use of common color and graphic characteristics across the components within the region and through the proximity of like components to one another

Referring again to FIG. 3C, filtering of the ITKC contents and structure in block 272 based on parameters for the new view, may also provide a view of subset or “slice” of related components of the integrated construct and associated methods and process required or desired to work on that slice. FIG. 6D shows schematically the general relationships between slice views and regions provided by the present invention. Specifically, referring to FIG. 3C, in one embodiment, the view manager uses the parameters for the new view (block 270) to filter the overall ITKC contents, structure, and linkages and available method and process portions, as indicated in block 272. For subset or slice views, in one embodiment, the view manager may utilize a specific subtopic as the basis for filtering (for example, the subtopic “Who created the Constitution?”). In this embodiment, the view manager may then filter the ITKC components, linkages, and structure to select only those that are associated or have been linked to the subtopic “Who created the Constitution?” (for example, the information constructs James Madison and George Washington, the analysis construct regarding a comparison of the beliefs of the framers, and any associated meaning statements). The view manager may create such combination subset or slice views for all other components related to the component which is the basis of the filtering (the subtopic above), and may create subset or slice views for partial subsets (such as a partial subset or slice view which includes the subtopic, information constructs, and analysis constructs but which does not make the associated meaning statements visible in the particular view).

FIG. 7B show one embodiment of the use of regions and subset or slice views in a 2 dimensional embodiment. Referring to FIG. 7B, for example, in one embodiment, regions may be implemented as areas accessible by some structured or otherwise visible map, such as the tab like look shown in FIG. 7B, with regions indicated by blocks 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, and 78, and a mechanism for accessing subsets or slice views shown through the use of a navigatable menu or other visible or accessible device, as shown in block 82. FIG. 7C shows a 2 dimensional approach with one embodiment of an individual subtopic view. Similarly, a 2 dimensional visual map of progress, associating components to regions and other indicators for preferred structure and/or process may not be as compelling as 3 dimensional visual feedback, but again could implement the same or nearly same functionality. It should be appreciated that although the 2 dimensional embodiment may not have the same advantages as the preferred 3 dimensional embodiment, it may well prove the preferred embodiment for some classes of users and/or projects.

The present invention therefore provides guidance generally enables the user to move freely between the representational views while utilizing the corresponding portions of the method and process of the present invention. FIG. 7 depicts one embodiment of links and navigational paths between views or representations provided by the invention. In addition, the present invention generally provides abilities to short cut navigational paths through physical manipulation of the representation, and instead navigate directly and quickly to the desired component or view. This short cut navigation may be accomplished through a plurality of mechanisms such as the use of conventional pull down menus or assigned keys or others in accordance with the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, in one embodiment, specific views provided by the present invention may include but are not limited to the following: (i) topic set overview 702 and if needed topic set drilldown view; (ii) individual topic view and detail views 706; (iii) individual information construct view 710; (iv) individual analysis construct view 720; (vi) information construct set view 715; (vi) analysis construct set view 725; (vii) linkage view 780; (viii) topic—meaning statement overlay view 770; (ix) meaning statement overview 750; (x) answer or summary view; (xi) integrated construct overall overview 700, and others

In one embodiment of the present invention, the precise layout and appearance of views or representations can differ and still accomplish the desired workspace creation and relationships to other workspaces to embody the method and process of the present invention effectively for the user.

Preferably in all view types, the view manager provides the ability for the user to be shown high level and more detailed depictions of the integrated construct content, structure, linkages, and associated portions of method and process. This may be accomplished through a plurality of user interaction mechanisms, including but not limited to such mechanisms as clicking “down” into a specific component, in order to see the details within that components, as well as the ability to zoom in and zoom out on components of the integrated construct and the integrated construct as a whole. When a three-dimensional representation is being used, the integrated construct representation may also be manipulated such as rotated, turned, flipped, and otherwise maneuvered in a manner that has been seen to be used in the manipulation of three-dimensional renderings of physical objects. This facilitates further visualization of the user's work on the project and also enables the user to look at the user's work on the project from different angles that may facilitate different thought processes of the user.

In one embodiment, representations or views provided by the present invention may employ a combination of visual characteristics including a plurality of elements to provide visual distinction of the specific characteristics of an integrated construct and the associated thinking and knowledge processes, including but not limited to elements such as shape, structures, and color. Distinctions provided about the integrated construct may include but not be limited to the following: (i) distinction of types of thinking and/or knowledge work activities and their associated content portions; (ii) distinction between regions and sub-regions or portions of method and process that have been used in the integrated construct versus those that have not yet been used, at the point in which the integrated construct is being represented; (iii) distinction of integrated construct components which have been created or initiated in the particular integrated construct; (iv) distinction of integrated construct components which are available for use but have not yet been included or initiated in the particular integrated construct; (v) distinction between regions and integrated construct components which have information associated with them versus those which do not yet have any content or information associated with them (i.e., those which are empty); (vi) distinction of integrated construct components which have greater or lesser amounts of content associated with them at the point in which the integrated construct is being represented; (vii) distinction between components of the integrated construct which are linked to other components versus those which are associated with the integrated construct but are not linked to other components in the integrated construct; and (viii) distinction of components of an integrated construct which may be linked to components or the totality of other integrated constructs; and (ix) distinction of key aspects of components as being in existence or not, or being lightly completed versus comprehensive.

It should be appreciated that many specific forms or shapes of two and three-dimensional structures may be used to implement views of the integrated construct, and they are within the scope of the present invention. Examples of shapes which may be used for 3 dimensional representations in one embodiment are provided in FIGS. 6I through 6V. In one embodiment, shapes that can accommodate the following characteristics are generally likely to be among those with an optimal shape for representation of a 3-D shape for the conveyance of the integrated construct. For example, in one embodiment, shapes which generally have the following properties may be used most readily to implement a representation of the integrated construct in the manner described herein: (i) a manner of distinguishing levels or spaces which allow for the distinction of different types of thinking and/or knowledge activities; (ii) a way of subdividing or otherwise showing the existence of different entities within or associated with these levels or spaces in order to reflect the types and/or numbers of the various integrated construct components the user is creating or viewing; (iii) proximity or the ability to achieve proximity or visible linkage between components which are closely related or need to be visually related in order to accomplish work steps (and to facilitate a way to show and work with the plurality of components and links between components of the integrated construct, and to move between different combination views that are important to work steps in a meaningful way); (iv) proximity or the ability to otherwise achieve relationships between related views; and (v) a way of providing views and access into the individual components that comprise the content and content relationships of the thinking and knowledge activities.

In one preferred embodiment, referring to FIGS. 3C-20 block 286, the view manager utilizes a visual depiction of a three dimensional, physical-like structure as a key representational mechanism, which may show both navigational and therefore thinking and working relationships between the views, providing navigational access, as well as providing feedback to the user regarding progress, as defined elsewhere herein. In a preferred embodiment, t the 3 dimensional visual structure assists in conveying the potential and already used thinking and knowledge portions of the method and process, as well as the components that have been built and their relationships. In one preferred embodiment, the three-dimensional representation generally uses areas, levels and facets of a three-dimensional representation structure to display the integrated construct and its associated method and process portions. For example, in one embodiment, the view manager may use the different levels of a physical-like structure to differentiate, show progress in, and provide navigation to thinking and knowledge activities and resulting components of a similar type (for example, problem definition through topics, analysis constructs, meaning statements, etc.). Similarly, in one embodiment, the view manager may use the sides, facets, or subareas of a physical like 3 dimensional representation to depict and convey the existence of different subset or slice views. In one preferred embodiment, the view manager may use the levels and sides of a 3 dimensional structure to define more specifically the basis for filtering a subset or slice view.

In one embodiment, the invention may utilize at least two different approaches to the 3 dimensional representation of the integrated construct: 1) a 3D representation that is essentially views mapped onto or associated with the facets, surface areas, or spaces of a 3 dimensional looking shape (as shown in FIG. 6F, and 2.) a 3D representation that employs a three dimensional linked structure made up of the ITKC components and its linkages, either alone or in combination with the use of the facets, surface areas, or spaces of a 3 dimensional looking shape. This latter embodiment may take on the look of a three dimensional molecule, with the various linked components of the ITKC arranged with visible links, and an emphasis on navigation through nodes and links as opposed to facets. Both of these as well as combination or additional three dimensional approaches to representing the ITKC are to be understood to be within the scope of this application. The use of 3 dimensional representations may assist the user in working on a project in an intuitive manner, and makes the totality of their project and the status of the user's use of method and process portions, as well as the relationships between components easily evident. It should be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that additional forms of 3 dimensional representation of an integrated construct are included within the scope of this invention.

User navigation of 2 dimensional, outline or tree, and matrix representations provided by the present invention may be accomplished in a variety of mechanisms that are well understood by those skilled in the art, including but not limited to user selection of visible elements to initiate action or see further detail, use of drop down menus, drag and drop approaches, and others. In one embodiment, user navigation and use of the 3D representational views can occur in several ways. Two of these ways are described more fully herein. In one embodiment, the user may use an interaction device to select an area, facet, surface, or component that is visible to the user in the 3D representations.

In one embodiment, the 3D representations may include both the current visible central work view, and “next views” which are made visible or accessible in an adjacent or otherwise visible area on the representation. The proximity of “next views” to the current visible central work view is one way in which the present invention provides guidance to the user in thinking, as the “next views” represent natural next work steps the user may wish to chose next. Referring to FIG. 6F, one mechanism provided by the present invention to enable guided but flexible movement between the different thinking and work steps in an inquiry based project is the provisioning of current visible views (such as the slice view depicted by block 82 a on FIG. 6D) and views which are also visible and therefore appear closely related (as depicted by block 82 b on FIG. 6F), which may be referred to as “next visible views,” And views which are implied to be available because of the edges or other logically available surfaces, areas, or structures that comprise the 3D structure that is being used, as in those noted as “implied related views” depicted by block 82 c in FIG. 6F. The design and structure of the views, and their visible adjacency or placement in relation to one another, is one way in which the present invention provides guidance to the user in portions of method to consider next, while allowing significant freedom in addressing the problem. In this embodiment, the view manager may provide additional direct navigation to less related views through the use of mechanisms such as drop down menus and others. Other views (and corresponding work areas) may also be available to the user, and provided in a drop down menu or other fashion. This is in keeping with the design of the present invention that it provides some guidance to the user but also allows the user to move fairly freely throughout the method and process. The user therefore can choose to move from the current visible central work area to a “next view” being shown to them in the representation, by selecting the next view area (or other visible indicator for a next view) with an interactive device. Upon the user selecting such a “next view” (as shown in FIG. 3A, block 110), the user action is evaluated (FIG. 3A, block 302), and if a change in view is warranted, the View Manager (FIG. 3A block 200) changes the view being displayed to the chosen next visible view, including the current content and structure of the integrated construct (FIG. 3A). The View Manager (FIG. 3A, block 200) provides the appropriate representation to the user, in keeping with the specifics of the 3D format that is being used or has been chosen, in keeping with the above.

The definition of Next Visible Views as used herein includes views that are logically apparent to the user but which may not be fully visible or indeed visible from the current view. Referring to FIG. 6E, for example, the areas noted as 82 b-1 and 82 b-2 are indeed areas that represent access to views for additional subtopics, and are Next Visible Views. Continuing with FIG. 6E, areas notes as 82 b-4 are also Next Visible Views, although only the edge of the facet belonging to that view and the label for the subtopic may be visible from the current view. Also in FIG. 6E, area 82 b-5 is also a View which is available to the user, by moving an interactive device to the edge of the construct that is the boundary of the “bottom” facet or view, by using the interactive device to select just below the visible Current View, or by other interactive mechanisms including but not limited to a pull down menu.

Accordingly, user manipulation of the 3 dimensional representation is provided by the present invention is provided in a number of ways: 1.) the user may rotate, flip, zoom in and out or otherwise manipulate the 3 dimensional representation of the integrated construct through the use of a number of different mechanisms and thereby “move” to a different, selected view; 2.) the user may select an area, facet, or other component of the 3 dimensional representation by using an interactive device (such as a mouse and double clicking on the portion of the representation that indicates the presence of the next view), thereby causing the representation to be replaced by the selected next view; and/or 3.) the user may use a navigator icon or similar interface device to indicate directional movement. One embodiment of the use of a navigator icon or similar interface device is described further below.

In one embodiment, user navigation from one “view” to another of the integrated construct—as associated with the different regions, facets, or other areas of a 3 dimensional looking structure—may be accomplished through the use of a directional navigator device (see FIG. 7E for one example of such an interface device). In this embodiment, a visual device with sections or other elements that indicate direction may be provided to the user on views. In this embodiment, if the user selects the component indicating the direction of “left” for example, the View Manager changes the current view to provide the representation that is associated with the next left most facet or area of the integrated construct. Specifically, for example, if the user is viewing a Question “side” View of the Construct, and selects or otherwise activates the “left” directional indicator in the navigator device, then the View Manager changes the view to correspond with the next left most view—in this case, the Question “side” View to the left of the previous view. Similarly, in one embodiment, if while viewing a Question “side” View of the Construct, the user selects or otherwise indicates the “up” directional indicator in the navigator device, the View Manager changes the view to correspond with the view which is “above” or “up” from the current view—in this example, the Topic Set or Topic Subset View. The use of significantly greater numbers or different forms of directional indicators for use in navigating a 3D or 2D representational view of an Integrated Construct are readily within the scope of this invention.

In one embodiment of such a navigator device, the central region shows a depiction of the overall shape of the integrated construct, selection of which central region of the navigator device results in the View Manager presenting the user with the Integrated Construct Overall View, as described in greater detail later in this document. It should be readily apparent that the use of other interaction approaches devices (such as the physical directional movement of a mouse, use of a gaming interactive device, use of a pen, touch screen or other interaction mechanism) to accomplish navigation and use of a 3 dimensional representation of an integrated construct does not depart from the scope of this invention.

In another embodiment of a navigator device, the view manager may provide the user with a miniaturized representation of the Integrated Construct as a navigational device. In this embodiment, while on any given representational view, the user may then use this miniaturized view or map of the overall Integrated Construct to select a specific view, portion or component of the Integrated Construct with some form of interactive device. Upon such selection, again, the View Manager then changes the representation of the Integrated Construct to the newly selected view or component. It should be readily appreciated that the use of any such visual or textual map of an overall inquiry based process and integrated construct as a navigational device would be readily within the scope of this invention.

The value and advantage of the views and representations of the integrated construct are not dependent upon the precise coloration, shape, or screen placement of the components being provided in each slice, region, component-specific, component set or overall integrated construct representation. It should be appreciated that the same functionality and same or similar advantage can be provided by somewhat different implementations of these representations. For example, changing the icons, coloration, sizing, or screen placement of the components, or in some cases even the selection of the specific components being provided on the view would not materially change the function provided by the invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, the user is provided with the ability to define the preferred placement of items to appear in the various views.

The integrated construct may also be implemented in a physical manner, as in a physical model to be used in a classroom or other learning situation to discuss and define the thinking and knowledge components of an archetype project and process. An additional physical embodiment of the integrated thinking and knowledge construct is in the use of the construct for a physical exhibit, as in a museum setting.

Referring again to FIG. 7, examples of representations that may be provided by the present invention are described below.

Topic Set Overview View

Referring to FIG. 7, block 702, the topic set overview representation 702 provides the user with the totality of their topic set (being the definition of the problem, issues, questions or other means of defining the focus of the inquiry based project), as it exists at the time the view is performed. In one embodiment of the present invention, the topic set is represented in the form of a web as illustrated in the partial example of FIGS. 5A-42. An alternative embodiment may provide the topic set in the form of an outline as illustrated in FIGS. 4A-10.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the following are included in the topic set overview: (i) main topic; (ii) sub-topics; (iii) secondary subtopics; (iv) any additional levels of subtopics; (v) linkages between all elements in the topic set; and (vi) method and process associated with the topic set, including the ability to create, change, edit, link, and rearrange topics, as well as problem definition or topic definition help or assistance. In one embodiment of the present invention, the top of the three-dimensional overview representation is designated for the topic set overview view In a preferred embodiment, as with all views of the integrated construct, the components that appear in this view are all generally actionable by the user (unless the components have been otherwise designated as unchangeable as discussed elsewhere herein). This means that the user may select any one of them to review, change, or add to any of the content or structure of the selected component, with the same range of functionality generally as when the user first created that component.

Topic Set Drill Down View

Similar to the topic set overview, the present invention may provide a view of the integrated construct which enables the user to review portions of the total topic set and its linkages and relationships in additional detail, indicated on FIG. 7 by block 704, for example to view a subset of a large or complex topic set This view may be most applicable in more complex integrated constructs. Capabilities for the subset of topics provided is similar to that provided for the Topic Set View.

Individual Topic View

Referring again to FIG. 7, block 706, in one embodiment, the view manager provides an individual topic (or subtopic or secondary subtopic as described elsewhere herein) view that generally enables the user to review and work on the subset of the total integrated construct which is associated with an individual topic (or subtopic), question, issue, problem or other means of defining the focus of an inquiry based project. In one embodiment of the present invention, the number of Individual topic views available corresponds to the number of subtopics the user has defined within the integrated construct. In another embodiment of the present invention, the number of individual topic views available corresponds to the number of secondary subtopics, which can be accessed from either the topic set overview view, or a topic set drilldown view as appropriate, and others. Similar subletting views may be provided to accommodate the nature and complexity of the specific integrated construct.

The individual topic (or subtopic or secondary or other subtopic) view 706 generally represents the totality of the integrated construct which is associated at any given point in the development of an inquiry based project with the individual topic, question, problem or issue of interest (or first type of thinking structure). In this manner, the present invention may then provide a meaningful subset of the potentially complex total integrated construct structure, and enable focus by the user on working on one meaningful slice. An example of one 3-D embodiment for the components and depiction of an individual topic (subtopic or secondary subtopic) view is shown in FIG. 7A and may generally include: (i) subtopic or secondary, or other subtopic which is the subject of the view; (ii) any associated data, information, information elements and/or information constructs which have thus far been linked to or associated with the subtopic or secondary subtopic; (iii) any associated analysis constructs which have thus far been linked to or associated with the subtopic or secondary or other subtopic; (iv) any meaning statements which have been linked to or associated with the subtopic or secondary subtopic; (v) any notes regarding what is to be done next, what additional information is needed or, relevant project plan items which have been linked to or associated with the subtopic or secondary subtopic; (vi) access to project plans, especially any planned research; (v) access to electronic information sources (as described elsewhere herein) and (vi) access to related portions of the method and process of the present invention for the assistance or guidance in each of the above associated component types, as well as the method and process associated with creating, editing, or otherwise modifying the associated component types above, and others. FIG. 7A depicts a three dimensional ITKC with a individual subtopic view which thus far has 2 information constructs associated with it (George Washington and James Madison) but has not yet developed meaning or analysis for this subtopic.

The present invention further provides for more detailed views of components associated with individual subtopics or secondary subtopics. It is to be appreciated that such additional detailed views follow from and are in accordance with the present invention on any or all of the additional views or representations provided.

Individual Meaning Statement View

Referring again to FIG. 7, the individual meaning statement view block 730 enables the user to view and work on the subset of the entire integrated construct that has been or is to be associated with an individual meaning statement. In one embodiment of the present invention, the number of individual highest level meaning statements views available correspond to the number of meaning statements created at the highest level as defined by the user within the integrated construct. In another embodiment of the present invention, the number of individual meaning statement views available correspond to the number of secondary meaning statements.

The individual meaning statement view generally represents the totality of the integrated construct, which is associated thus far with an individual meaning statement (or second type of thinking structure). In this manner, the present invention may provide a meaningful subset of the potentially complex total integrated construct structure, and enable focus by the user on working on one meaningful slice. The meaning statement view may generally provide a focus on working on what the information and analysis components mean to the user, building toward an answer or summary view. The meaning statement view is likely to be significantly different than the views that are provided based on the individual topics, as described above. An example of one embodiment of the individual meaning statement view generally may include any or all of the following: (i) a meaning statement or secondary meaning statement which is the focus of the view; (ii) any associated information, information elements or Information constructs which have thus far been linked to or associated with the meaning statement or secondary meaning statement; (iii) any associated analysis constructs which have been linked to or associated with the meaning statement or secondary meaning statement; (iv) any notes regarding what to do next, relevant project plan which have thus far been linked to or associated with the specific meaning statement or secondary meaning statement; and (v) access to any method or process associated with all of the above.

As with all representations provided by the present invention, the components represented on the meaning statement view are all generally actionable by the user. This means that the components can be: (i) selected to reveal their detailed contents; (ii) edited or changed; (iii) deleted; or (iv) replaced or enhanced with new or additional components.

Individual Information Construct View

Referring to FIG. 7, block 710, information constructs that have been created are indicated and made available in several representational views as icons, labels, or thumbnails of their contents. If the user selects a previously created Information construct, generally according to interactive mechanisms described herein or generally used in the art, the contents associated with the selected information construct are displayed via the individual information construct view.

As with all representations provided by the present invention, the components displayed in the individual information construct view are generally actionable, unless they have been protected from change by a previous author. This means they can generally be edited, changed, deleted, or added to readily from the individual information construct view. In one embodiment, the individual information construct view may generally include the following: (i) information construct label or title; (ii) information construct type (as chosen, or undefined); (iii) information construct unformatted information elements; (iv) information construct formatted information elements; (v) links to other information constructs; (vi) links to analysis constructs; (vii) links to available topics, subtopics, secondary topics; (viii) links to available meaning statements; and (ix) access to method and process associated with the creation and editing of the information construct and its linkages

Individual Analysis Construct View

Referring to FIG. 7, block 720, analysis constructs that have been created are similarly available in many representational views as icons, labels, or thumbnails of their contents. If the user selects a previously created analysis construct, according to interactive mechanisms described herein or those generally used in the art, the contents associated with the selected analysis construct are displayed via the individual analysis construct view.

As with the other representations provided by the present invention, the components displayed in the individual analysis construct view are generally actionable, unless they have been specifically protected from change by a previous author. This means they generally can be edited, changed, deleted, or added to readily from the individual analysis construct view. In addition, links that appear in the representational view are generally available as navigation means to access the detail associated with the linked component.

The individual analysis construct view 720 of FIG. 7 generally may include the following: (i) analysis construct label or title; (ii) analysis construct field for observational comment regarding the analysis construct; (iii) related information constructs; (iv) related information elements of information constructs; (v) related analysis constructs; (vi) related available subtopics, and secondary subtopics; (vii) related available meaning statements; (viii) other available information constructs in existence at the time of viewing; (ix) information construct formatted information elements; and (x) access to method and process associated with the analysis construct or related functions.

Collection of Information Constructs View

Referring again to FIG. 7, the collection of information constructs view block 715 generally may provide a representation of the totality of information constructs created for or associated with the integrated construct at the time the view is so created. Icons, thumbnails, lists, and/or labels of such items or other forms thereof may be used to depict this inventory of information constructs to date. Information constructs so displayed in such a representation are actionable (unless protected from change earlier) as in any other view: for viewing at a detailed level, for editing, for viewing or changing links, etc. In one embodiment, the representation of the collection of information constructs created may include a grouping of the information constructs according to type, and a visual distinction of how much data or information is contained in or otherwise associated with the particular Information construct. In another embodiment, the representation of the collection of information constructs allows for grouping by category, theme, or other meaningful group, as discussed earlier herein.

Collection of Analysis Constructs View

Referring again to FIG. 7, the collection of analysis constructs view 725 may generally provide a representation of the totality of analysis constructs created for or associated with the integrated construct at the time the view is so created. Icons, thumbnails, lists, and/or labels of such items or other similar forms thereof may be used to depict this inventory of analysis constructs to date. Analysis constructs so displayed in such a representation are generally actionable as in any other view (except where otherwise protected): for viewing at a detailed level, for editing, for viewing or changing links, etc. In one embodiment, the representation of the collection of analysis constructs created may include a grouping of the analysis constructs according to type, and a visual distinction of how much data or information is contained in or otherwise associated with the particular analysis construct. In another embodiment, the collection of analysis constructs may be represented in groups or categories according to their linkage to subtopics or meaning statements, or other categories or groups.

Answer or Summary Set

Referring to FIG. 7, block 760, the preferred embodiment further provides for a view, which focuses on the answer or summary set, and a related view, block 750 that allows for the representation of both the answer or summary set and the meaning statements as a set.

Topic Meaning Statement Overlay View

Referring again to FIG. 7 block 770, the present invention may provide a view which represents the topic set and the meaning statement set of the respective integrated construct, and which depicts the relationships between these two thinking structures of the integrated construct.

Linkage View

Referring to FIG. 7, the linkage view 780 representation may be generally available at any time for any component associated with the integrated construct. In one embodiment, the linkage view is provided when the user selects any component, and the user activates the right click on the computer mouse. In another embodiment, the linkage view is provided when the user selects any component and a subsequent choice is made from a menu provided. There are any number of specific user actions that may be used to trigger the display of the linkage view representation, without departing from the scope or the intent of the present invention.

When the user invokes the linkage view, a representation is provided which shows all linkages from the chosen component to other components within the integrated construct at the time the representation is accessed. In one embodiment, the linkage view of a knowledge construct shows only links between knowledge constructs (being information constructs and analysis constructs), as opposed to links to all thinking constructs (topics, meaning statements, answers). In one embodiment, the integrated construct component, which is the focus of the linkage view, is shown as the component in the center of the representation. The integrated construct component, which is the focus of the linkage view, can be selected by the user in order to show the contents of the component, as described for example, in the individual information construct view or individual analysis construct view described above. FIG. 7D is an example of a linkage view of one embodiment.

Overall Integrated Construct Overview

Referring to FIG. 7, when the overall integrated construct overview 700 is invoked by the user, a representation is provided which shows a depiction of the overall integrated construct, as it exists at the time the representation is invoked. Regions and other views are generally available to the user to select from this overall integrated construct overview, by selecting the portion of the integrated construct visible which the user wishes to see in greater detail. Selection of a portion of the depiction of the overall integrated construct invokes the appropriate next representation, with its associated content and method and process then available to the user.

In one embodiment of the overall integrated construct overview, color and shapes may be used to distinguish and depict the boundaries of the various regions, slice or other views. In addition, the placement and shape of the facets and areas of the integrated construct as depicted in the overall integrated construct overview may be used to distinguish the views of combinations of components which are available to the user, and which thereby provide the user with the content, linkages of the integrated construct and the method and process portions relevant to creating, editing, and viewing the components of the integrated construct. As has been described elsewhere above, the overall integrated construct depiction is specifically designed to provide an overall view of the progress the structure and process of the user's ITKC is making, and uses a number of visual distinction mechanisms, as defined elsewhere herein, to depict this progress and imply the user where they might want to focus their energies next. Whether provided as a 3-D physical-like representation, an outline, a matrix or other visualization, the depiction of the integrated construct provides a visualization and map of the total project, its components, linkages and the steps that have been taken in its construction.

Multi-User Collaborative and Group Support

In preferred embodiments, the system and methods provide computerized support and enablement of the facilitation of thinking about and solving arbitrary problems collaboratively by multiple users or groups. Such users may be, for example, collaborating or otherwise working together as a formal team (as in many professional situations, for example and potentially with a team leader or manager), or may be working together cooperatively in an informal manner (as in situations in which individuals may have common interests, for example, such as in hobbies, volunteer situations, collaborative authoring or other social networking activities), or may be working together in a combination or hybrid approach (incorporating some formal mechanisms, such as subdivision of a project, but working in an informal, collegial manner as opposed to having a project manager or team leader). Preferred embodiments of the ITKC system and methods support a plurality of multiple collaborating user, group, and team forms, in their use of and work on one or more ITKC's, subdivided ITKC's or related ITKC's. The following describes multi-user related computer system and method modules which are in some preferred embodiments used to further enhance the facilitation of multiple users or groups in collaboratively or cooperatively solving problems or otherwise conducting information intensive inquiry-based projects.

FIG. 8 shows a schematic of one embodiment of some multi-user collaborative and multiple ITKC related system and method modules, in general relation to one depiction of the overall ITKC architecture. It will become apparent to those skilled in the art that the support and enablement of multiple users in relation to the ITKC system and methods is readily accomplished by the present invention. FIG. 12 shows a further definition of one embodiment of system and method modules that may in one embodiment comprise additional multi-user related and collaborative and multiple ITKC related capabilities of the present invention, in relation to one embodiment of the system architecture. In some embodiments, the multi-user related ITKC modules may be considered to be modules that are part of the archetype process, as for example indicated in FIG. 8 Block 8200. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the precise placement or relationship or boundaries of the computerized system and method modules that enable additional multi-user or group related collaborative capabilities can differ from those shown in FIGS. 8 and 12 and elsewhere herein without departing from the intent or scope of the present invention.

Referring again to FIG. 8, some of the system and method modules, components and capabilities of preferred embodiments for multiple user collaborating implementations may include but not be limited to: 1.) one or more multi-user or complex ITKC's (shown in block 11000), that may take a plurality of forms, described elsewhere herein, and that may in some embodiments include one or more group or “super” ITKC's (as for example, to enable group or collective work) as well as portions or individual or “sub” ITKC's (as, for example. to enable subdivided or sub team or individual work); like individual ITKC's, multi-user ITKC's may also include links or references or associations to other ITKC's (shown in block 11001) or to data (shown in block 11002) and to external tools (shown in block 540); 2.) multi-user display (shown in block 8100) module(s) that in preferred embodiments enable the display of multi-user ITKC's and, where relevant, multi-user or joint collaborative workspaces; 3.) multi-user management module(s) (shown in block 8000) that in preferred embodiments control and provide additional multi-user and multiple ITKC capabilities, and that may in some embodiments be considered in part or in whole as part of the archetype process (shown in block 2000) and that may, like individual ITKC management and process capabilities, act in conjunction with or access external tools (block 540) and electronic sources (block 9500); 4.) archived or published or otherwise stored ITKC's, whether authored or created by individual users or formal or informal teams or groups (indicated by block 9000), 5.) user profiles and multi-user data (shown in block 10000) that may in some preferred embodiments be used to provide additional capabilities, described below and elsewhere herein; and others.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention's method and system facilitate multiple users or group(s) in collaboratively or cooperatively developing and documenting their thinking, understanding and information about an arbitrary problem. Referring again to FIG. 8, in preferred embodiments, a user may be an individual or team, a super user (such as a teacher or other assigner) or other resource such as a computer system or electronic source. In preferred embodiments, a key result of the method and system and the actions of the user or users is the creation of some portion or all of one or more ITKC's, or Integrated Thinking and Knowledge Constructs (shown in block 1000). Components of an ITKC in preferred embodiments may include but not be limited to one, some or all of but not limited to the following: 1.) Thinking Constructs (shown in block 20), which may include, for example, one, some or all of: a Main Question or Main Topic, Sub question sets or Subtopic sets, Meaning Statement sets, and one or more Answer or Summary Statements or others; 2.) Knowledge Constructs (shown in block 40); which may include, for example, Analysis Constructs, Information Constructs and data in structured or unstructured formats or others 3.) linkages among and between any or all of the other ITKC components (shown in block 60); and 4.) other items such as user annotations, event history, journals and others. Preferred embodiments of the ITKC may include all, some or none of the archetype components and/or process portions. It should be appreciated that a multi-user ITKC or related ITKC's in preferred embodiments similarly can be comprised of all, some, or one of the archetype components and/or process portions.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention facilitate and support multi-user collaborative or group inquiry based projects of a plurality of different kinds, including but not limited to the following: 1.) collaborative development of one or more ITKC's by a group or team, to collaboratively address one or more problems or topics or areas, which may be partitioned or otherwise subdivided for work by individuals or sub teams and in some embodiments subsequently or periodically or continuously automatically recombined or otherwise composited, described elsewhere herein; 2.) development of one or more composite or combined ITKC's, which may in some embodiments result from the development of a plurality of ITKC's or portions of ITKC's by one or more individuals or sub teams and combined or composited in part or in whole (as might occur, for example, if individuals had similar interests or found they were working on the same or similar problem and wanted to subsequently “join forces”); 3.) development of a single ITKC by multiple authors or team members, with or without formal subdivision of the ITKC (as might occur, for example, in situations in which multiple individuals are acting as joint authors of an ITKC or portions of an ITKC); 4.) collaboration or sharing between multiple users in developing their individual ITKC's, without creation or development of a shared or otherwise combined ITKC or ITKC's, and others. Additional variations of the exact form of multi-user collaborative use and multi-user ITKC structure, substructures or relationships can be readily inferred from the examples and descriptions included herein and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such variations are also readily supported by embodiments of the present invention, and should be considered within the scope and intent of the present invention.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide significant advantages to collaborating individuals, subteams, and groups in conducting inquiry-based projects about arbitrary problems or topics, which will become apparent through the additional description provided herein. First, preferred embodiments of the system and method provide a shared, common context and tools for work for the multiple individuals, subteams or groups, through the archetype process, archetype structure, and multi-user and group related capabilities. It is a significant advantage of preferred embodiments of the present invention that this shared, common context and tools allows the individuals and group or teams to focus on the content and thinking of their inquiry based project, and to collaborate directly through shared or commonly defined thinking and knowledge constructs and processes, as opposed to, for example, only being able to collaborate upon or share text or other data files. This not only significantly enhances group efficiency, but provides for richer collaboration through joint or shared or commonly understood approaches (via the archetype process and archetype structure, for example) and dialogue around joint or shared ways of working. It is a further advantage of preferred embodiments of the present invention that the group or collective activities and work are facilitated through evaluation and suggestioning, autogeneration and, in a sense, coaching, that is related to the facilitation, suggestioning and autogeneration capabilities provided to the individuals or subteams in their work, discussed elsewhere herein. It is a further advantage of the preferred embodiments of the present invention that preferred embodiments provide for the subdivision of group or “super” ITKC's into individual or “sub” ITKC's, automatically updating and managing the linkages and relationships inherent therein, and that preferred embodiments may also provide the automatic compositing or combining of individual or sub ITKC's or partial ITKC's into group or composite ITKC's, in a variety of use situations, discussed elsewhere herein. These and other advantages of the preferred embodiments of the present invention will become apparent through the descriptions and drawings provided herein.

FIG. 10 shows some examples of use scenarios supported by preferred embodiments of the present invention for multiple user and/or group and/or team collaborative situations. It should be appreciated that other multi-user scenarios can be inferred from these examples and supported by preferred embodiments of the present invention, and should be considered within the scope of this invention. FIG. 10A schematically shows one embodiment of the development of a single or unified ITKC by multiple ITKC users or sub teams. FIG. 10B shows one embodiment of the development of a subdivided ITKC by multiple users or sub teams, as might be the case, for example, in a formal group assigned project. FIG. 10C shows one embodiment of the development of subdivided or composited or combined ITKC (described additionally herein and below) by multiple users or sub teams with the additional development of local or in some way segmented individual or “sub” ITKC's (which might be entire ITKC's or portions of ITKC's, described elsewhere). FIG. 10D shows an embodiment of another example multiple user or group scenario, in which multiple users (individuals or sub teams) can share, view and communicate about each other's work and for example make linkages between and/or among their work, without necessarily developing a combined, composited or subdivided ITKC. FIG. 10E shows an embodiment in which there is both a “group” ITKC as well as at least one individual or “sub” ITKC's or portions of ITKC's. FIG. 10F shows an embodiment in which there are individual or subteam ITKC's only with sharing and communication occurring among or between the individuals or subteams. FIG. 10F also shows the potential use of other ITKC's or partial ITKC's represented in FIG. 10F, block 4, that may have been created by a plurality of other users or sources, also described more elsewhere herein. Preferred embodiments of the system and method of the present invention support these and other multi-user scenarios. Preferred embodiments of the present invention enable individual team members or some subset to view, work and update a group, shared or collective ITKC and also support developing their own individual or subteam work, whether in a sub or individual ITKC or portion of an ITKC. These and other aspects of the present invention are discussed further below and elsewhere herein.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 8 and described elsewhere herein, the modularity and structure of the ITKC archetype structure (block 1500) and archetype process (block 2000), together with the capabilities of system and method modules such as the Process Manager Suggestor (FIG. 3 block 300 and FIG. 8 block 300) and others, provide significant advantages to these and other multi-user collaborative and/or group implementations.

One embodiment of multi-user related and collaborative ITKC system and method modules is shown in FIG. 12, in relation to one embodiment of the ITKC system and methods architecture (shown in FIG. 3). Referring to FIG. 12, one embodiment of multi-user modules of the ITKC system and method may include one, some or all but not be limited to the following: 1.) ITKC Multi-User Creation Manager or similar module (shown in block 8400), which in one embodiment controls and facilitates the initiation and creation or development of individual ITKC's and collaborative or group ITKC's by multiple users and by groups; 2.) ITKC Multi-User Session Manager, which in one embodiment controls ITKC use sessions involving multiple users (shown in block 8500) and may also include Multi-User Dialogue Manager or similar module, discussed elsewhere herein; 3.) ITKC Multi-User Tracking and Monitoring Module (shown in block 8600), which in one embodiment tracks, monitors and record activities in multi-user ITKC embodiments; 4.) ITKC Composite Manager or similar module (shown in block 12000), which in one embodiment accomplishes the automatic combining of sub or partial ITKC's or of separate ITKC's into one of a number of kinds of combined or “super” or composited ITKC's, (which also can be considered part of the Process Suggestor and rules and processes associated also with the archetype structure and archetype process, discussed further herein); 5.) Group Process Suggestor (shown in block 13000), which applies the archetype process, archetype structure, content rules and other algorithms and suggestioning mechanisms to the group or joint working sessions and to the collective or group ITKC(s) (which may also be considered part of the Process Manager Suggestor and Inference or similar module, block 300); 6.) ITKC Multi-User View Manager or similar module (shown in block 8300), which in one embodiment controls and provides presentations and displays of multi-user ITKC workspaces (shown in block 8100) and multi-user ITKC results; 7.) Multi-User ITKC Manager (shown in block 8700), which controls the updating and linkage management of multi-user and subdivided or complex ITKC's; 8.) ITKC Archive Manager or similar module (shown in block 14000); 8.) ITKC User Profile Manager (shown in block 15000); 9.) ITKC and User Locator or similar module (shown in block 16000); which in preferred embodiments utilizes data and parameters to locate similar or potentially related ITKC's and/or ITKC users, discussed elsewhere herein; and others. Additional description of these and other embodiments of representative multi-user and collaborative system and method modules follows and is included elsewhere herein.

One of the advantages is that in preferred embodiments, the present invention enables subdivisions and/or compositions of ITKC's along one or many or a combination of a plurality of dimensions, enabled by the ITKC Creation Manager or similar module, and utilizing the archetype process, archetype structure and other system components discussed elsewhere herein. FIG. 11A depicts schematically one embodiment of the subdivision of a main, group, or “super” ITKC (represented in block 11004) into, in this example, three subportions, individual, or “sub” ITKC's (as represented by blocks 11001, 11002 and 11003), to be worked upon (as represented by blocks 11001 a, 11002 a and 11003 a), as might be defined by the ITKC Creation Manager or other similar module. FIG. 11B depicts schematically another embodiment, described further below. As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, in preferred embodiments, the system and method enable subdivision and/or compositing or combining of ITKC's along a plurality of dimensions, (represented by block 11005), including but not limited to: 1.) by archetype structural components (as in dividing member or subteam responsibilities in assignments by different questions or subtopic sets, for example), 2.) by archetype process portions (as, for example, in dividing member or subteam responsibilities in assignments by specific archetype process activities, such as assigning one member or subteam research responsibilities and another member or subteam synthesis responsibilities or responsibilities for specific construction of a type of analysis construct, such as a timeline), 3.) by content area (such as assigning or dividing member or team responsibilities by a subset of content or topical area), 4.) by combinations of these factors; and others. In preferred embodiments, referring again to FIGS. 11A and 11B, subdivision or otherwise dividing of a group or “super” ITKC into individual or “sub” ITKC's or partial ITKC's is accomplished by the ITKC Creation Manager (block 8400) or similar module, and in preferred embodiments, the combining or other compositing of individual or “sub” ITKC's or partial ITKC's into a composite or “super” ITKC is accomplished by the ITKC Composite Manager (shown in block 12000) or similar module. In preferred embodiments, such subdividing dimensions and relationships may also be utilized by at least two additional system and method modules: 1.) the Group Process Suggestor (block 13000) or similar module; and 2). the ITKC and User Locator (block 16000), discussed elsewhere herein.

It should be apparent that the present invention enables a plurality of forms of the subdividing and/or compositing or combining of ITKC's and sub or partial ITKC's. FIG. 11A represents one embodiment of the subdivision of a primary, group, or “super” ITKC (shown in block 11004) into secondary, individual, or “sub” ITKC's (represented in blocks 11001, 11002, and 11003) to be worked upon or otherwise created or edited (as shown in blocks 11001 a, 11002 a, and 11003 a), as for example in the case in which there are three individuals or subteams working on different portions of a project or problem, for example on different subtopic or subquestion sets. FIG. 11A most readily shows the embodiment case in which the “sub” ITKC's are defined as non-overlapping (shown in block 11001 a, 11002 a, and 11003 a) and as together or collectively comprising the majority of the primary, group or “super” ITKC (shown in block 11004). It should be appreciated that other cases of use and other embodiments of the present invention support and accommodate a plurality of scope and boundary definitions for the individual or “sub” ITKC's and their relationships to the primary, group, or “super” ITKC(s). One preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 11B for example, enables the definition of overlapping or redundant sub-ITKC's (as in the case of having multiple individuals or team members work on the same question to obtain multiple views, or multiple individuals or team members develop the same analysis type from different sources, or others). Referring to FIG. 11B, for example. preferred embodiments enable the subdividing of a group or “super” ITKC (shown in block 11008) into overlapping and/or noncontiguous “sub” ITKC's or portions of ITKC's (shown in blocks 11006, 11007, and 11008, for example). Similarly, preferred embodiments of the present invention enable the compositing or combining of individual, “sub” or partial ITKC's (again shown in FIG. 11B in blocks 11006, 11007, and 11008) into a “super”, group or combined ITKC (shown in block 11009). It should be appreciated that in preferred embodiments, there is no requirement in the present system and method that subdivisions or individual or “sub” ITKC's comprise all or the majority of the primary, group or “super” ITKC. In some preferred embodiments, referring again to FIG. 11A, the subdivision ITKC's (represented again by block 11001, 11002, and 11003) may comprise a minority or small portion of the primary, group, or “super” ITKC (shown in block 11004).

Returning again to FIG. 11A, and in keeping with the plurality of use scenarios described herein, preferred embodiments of the present invention support use scenarios in which the individual or “sub” ITKC's (represented by blocks 11001 a, 11002 a and 11003 a) are created in part or in their entirety prior to the definition of a group, collective, combined or “super” ITKC (represented by block 11004). In these embodiments, for example, one or more user(s) or teams of users may have independently created or developed individual ITKC's or portions of ITKC's (indicated in blocks 11001 a, 11002 a, and 11003 a) and subsequently decided to create a combined, composited or otherwise “super” or group ITKC (shown in block 11004). Preferred embodiments of the present invention support and enable such combining or compositing of individual or sub ITKC's into a group or super ITKC, in some embodiments via the Process Manager Suggestor and/or Group Process Suggestor, archetype structure, and archetype process and specifically the Composite Manager described additionally elsewhere herein and below. Referring again to FIG. 11B, preferred embodiments of the present invention enable the combining or compositing of multiple ITKC's or portions of ITKC's (shown in blocks 11006, 11007, and 11008, for example) to be worked upon (shown in blocks 11006 a, 11007 a and 11008 a) into one or more combined or “super” ITKC's (shown in block 11009). It should further be appreciated that the evaluation and suggestioning autogeneration capabilities described elsewhere herein further enable the generation of one or more group or “super” ITKC's that may in some instances also define an individual or “sub” ITKC or portion of ITKC as logically outside of the scope of the combined or “group” ITKC, as indicated in FIG. 11B, block 11008 a.

Such flexibility in preferred embodiments of subdivision and in some embodiments of compositing or combining of ITKC's from individual or sub team work is a significant advantage, and allows for the dividing, automatic combining or compositing and coordination of work of individuals and sub teams, for example, of a plurality of skill types, interests and/or levels of expertise. It should further be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the modularity and structured characteristics of preferred embodiments of the ITKC system and methods means that many options for providing individual, subset, or unified workspaces and views of group or “super” ITKC's and/or individual or “sub” ITKC's either individually or in combination with one another are enabled by, and in keeping with the scope and intent of the present invention. These and other aspects are described further below.

Representative examples of preferred embodiments of multi-user workspace representation or interface layouts, provided by the Multi-User View Manager or similar module, for example, are shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17, and are discussed further herein and below. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the provisioning of alternative or other multi-user workspace layouts may be related to one, some, or all of the views depicted in FIG. 7 and described elsewhere herein. Other or additional multi-user workspace designs and layouts that accomplish the same or similar capabilities to those described herein can be inferred by those skilled in the art and should be considered within the scope and intent of the present invention, particularly as the modularity of the system and methods lend themselves easily to multiple view and representation forms for individual, collaborative, and joint user use.

Referring to FIG. 9, a representative implementation architecture for one embodiment of the present invention is shown. In preferred embodiments, the multi-user related and collaborative ITKC system and method and its associated modules may be implemented in a number of different technical and processing formats, structures and architectures. FIG. 9 depicts one such embodiment with one embodiment of the multi-user modules provided by the system and method. Referring to FIG. 9, the client shown in block 9001 is representative of a plurality of computer and other systems, including general-purpose computers (like desktops, laptops, etc.), network appliances (like set top boxes, game consoles, etc.), wireless devices (like personal digital assistants, cellular phones, media players or other such devices), and others. As is common, the client in this embodiment may generally have volatile memory (such as RAM or other memory), non volatile memory (such as ROM or other memory and including hard disks, etc.), one or more processors, one or more input devices (such as keyboard, mouse, stylus, microphone, etc.) and one or more output devices (display of some sort, audio, printer, etc.), and an operating system. In some embodiments, the client will also have resident or process on its operating system software comprising standard tools, such as office and browser tools. In some embodiments and implementations, the client may also have resident or process some portion of the ITKC system and method, and may also have resident or process one of or a portion of the multi-user management and collaborative modules. Similarly, referring again to FIG. 9, in some embodiments, the system and method may incorporate a server, shown in block 9002, which in this embodiment may have a processor, volatile memory (such as RAM), non volatile memory (such as ROM, hard disk, etc.), and an operating system. In some embodiments, the server (block 9002) may be of many different technical types, including but not limited to a server for a local area network or wide area network, a backend for such a server, or a Web server, or others. The server in this embodiment may also have resident or process some portion of the ITKC system and method. In some such embodiments, the server may also have resident or process a portion of system and method identified as an additional multi-user manager module or modules, which in turn may also in one embodiment be comprised of one, some or all of a number of different multi-user modules, described more fully below and elsewhere herein. In some embodiments, the client submits queries to a server computer via a network (shown in block 9007), such as but not limited to the Internet or an Intranet. In other embodiments, the present invention may be processed primarily on the client (block 9001). In other embodiments, the present invention may be processed primarily or in part on a remote processor, indicated in FIG. 9, block 9003, that may be accessed or activated via a network (shown in block 9008), such as but not limited to the Internet. It should be appreciated that the multi-user and collaborative modules may be implemented with other network types, and with the multi-user and collaborative modules or portions of the ITKC system and method processed on different types or placements or configurations of processors and/or devices. For example, the present invention may utilize multiple client and/or server processors and networks in a peer processing relationship. It should further be appreciated that preferred embodiments of the multi-user implementations of the ITKC system and method enable different users or subteams to utilize different processing or input architectures and mechanisms while working in one of the plurality of collaborative manners described elsewhere herein, It should further be appreciated that some embodiments of the present invention similarly provide for the archiving or storage and retrieval of ITKC's, sub-ITKC's or combined or composited ITKC's by a plurality of computing architectures and in a plurality of processing and/or storage placements. Preferred embodiments of multi-user or group or collaborative ITKC system and method modules are likely to include some form of multiple processor use, via some form of network, whether for support of the multiple users or group, and/or for search and retrieval of archived or otherwise stored ITKC's and/or communication with other potential or actual users, described elsewhere herein. The present invention's modularity and broad applicability lend itself to embodiments of implementation as one or more web services, for example, in addition to implementation as one or more computer program products, computer-readable media or other computer system or method provisioning forms. The modularity of preferred embodiments further lends itself to the provisioning or implementing of portions of the present invention, including portions of the multi-user and collaborative modules, in the absence of the totality of the modules described as related to multi-user and collaborative modules described herein.

Referring again to FIGS. 11A and 11B, preferred multi-user embodiments may utilize a number of mechanisms or technical approaches for coordinating and managing the creation and updating of files associated with one or more subdivided or individual or “sub” ITKC's (represented in FIG. 11A blocks 11001 a, 11002 a, and 11003 a and FIG. 11B blocks 1106 a, 1107 a, and 1108 a) and the creation and updating of files associated with one or more group, combined or “super” ITKC's (represented in FIG. 11A block 11004 and FIG. 11B block 1109). The specific mechanisms chosen for the implementation embodiment will depend on a number of factors, including but not limited to: 1.) the processor and data placement and structure of the individual or “sub” ITKC's; 2.) the processor and data placement and structure of the group, collective, composite or or “super” ITKC(s); 3.) the size and complexity of the “sub” and “super” ITKC's; 4.) the proximity of users and processors; 4.) the frequency and type of joint user sessions employed; and others. The design and selection of such mechanisms will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, some embodiments of the present invention will be served by the utilization of “check in” and “check out” processes and updating mechanisms, and/or the utilization of versioning control mechanisms. Other embodiments and implementations of the present invention will be served by real-time update and/or other mechanisms.

Several flow charts are now described to provide descriptions of preferred embodiments of the present invention and the interaction and roles of some of the various multi-user related and collaborative system and method modules in some preferred embodiments. Referring again to FIG. 10, a plurality of multi-user situations are readily supported by the present invention, which may include but not be limited to formal group or collaborative use as well as informal, cooperative or collaborative use. As described elsewhere herein, it should be readily appreciated that other collaborative or cooperative multi-user cases and situations are supported by the present invention, can be readily inferred by these descriptions by those skilled in the art, and are to be considered within the scope of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 13A and 13B, a preferred embodiment of the support of formal groups in collaborating about an arbitrary problem is described. Referring to FIG. 13A, a formal group ITKC is initiated (in block 13001 utilizing the Process Manager (see FIG. 3 block 400) and specifically in some embodiments the ITKC Creation Manager (shown in block 8400 in FIG. 13A) or similar module. In formal group situations, the user is most likely to be a Project Manager or other Assigner, although it will be apparent that the initiating user may or may not be a project manager or other controlling user for the group. In preferred embodiments, the ITKC Creation Manager (block 8400)—together with the Archetype Process (block 2000), the Archetype Structure (block 1500) and the User Profile Manager (block 15000) —initiates a new group ITKC. In preferred embodiments, the initiating user or users then utilize the ITKC Creation Manager (8400) or similar module, the User Profile Manager or similar module, and the related modules, to define sub ITKC's (shown in block 13010), define the users and their allowed access (Block 13011), assign the sub or individual ITKC's or partial ITKC's to users, if applicable (block 13012) and define project parameters (in block 13015) that may be provided in some embodiments to set deadlines for project components, for example, as well as set options to control a plurality of project processes. In some preferred embodiments, such project control parameters may include one some or all but not be limited to the following: 1.) the frequency and type of group sessions to be included (in block 13030); 2.) the access rights of the group member users to initiate group sessions (block 13030), to use the evaluation and, suggestioning capabilities for their individual or “sub” ITKC's (blocks 400 and 300), and/or to use the ITKC Composite Manager (block 13040 and block 8300), 3.) access rights of the group members to search for or otherwise seek related ITKC's or other users (block 13050); 4.) the access rights of group members to activate the Process Manager Suggestor, which may be embodied as the Group Process Manager (block 13000) for the group or collective ITKC (block 13060); 4.) frequency and type of automatic or manual group ITKC compositing (block 13040) to be conducted; 5.) frequency and type of application of the Process Manager Suggestor (block 300) to the individuals and Group Process Manager (block 13000) to the group ITKC and process (block 13060); and others. In one preferred embodiment, the resulting sub ITKC's are created as template ITKC's, discussed elsewhere herein.

In one preferred embodiment for group work, the ITKC Creation Manager (block 8400) or similar module creates or otherwise presents to each of the individual team members or sub teams an assignment template or sub ITKC, described elsewhere herein, thus communicating the sub ITKC scope, any existing or recommended data, sources, experts, reference ITKC's, schedule and plan, and other items. In preferred embodiments, content and materials or ITKC template definitions that are common to multiple participants are generally available and visible to relevant participants throughout the course of the project. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that such communication of an assignment ITKC template or other planning element can and in the preferred embodiment, is updated and communicated again readily to the group participants on an ongoing or frequent basis as needed.

Continuing with FIG. 13A, following the initiation of a formal group ITKC, preferred embodiments of the present invention control and manage processing of a number of different types, which may occur in preferred embodiments in parallel with one another. Continuing with FIG. 13A, the Process Manager (block 400) or other similar module, controls and manages multiple user sessions for each of the sub ITKC's and sub ITKC's users or subteams (shown in blocks 13020, 13021, 13022, and 13023). In preferred embodiments, such individual or sub ITKC use sessions (in blocks 13021, 13022 and 13033) include the appropriate utilization of the Process Manager (block 400), and Process Manager Suggestor (block 300), if so defined by the project parameters (block 13015), together with the Archetype Process (block 2000) and Archetype Structure (block 1500), described elsewhere herein. Preferred embodiments include the conduction of group or joint multi-user sessions (shown in block 13030) and dialogue and communication among and between group or team member users (block 13030), as controlled and enabled by the ITKC Multi-User Session Manager (block 8500), and the Multi-User Dialogue Manager (block 8550) or additionally or alternatively enabled by the use of external and in most embodiments, standard, external communication tools (block 8551). Such group or joint sessions in preferred embodiments may also make use of the Group Process Manager (block 13000), which may be considered as a part of the Process Manager Suggestor (block 300) to generate suggestions and potentially automatically generate suggested components or next steps (shown in block 13060), based on the archetype structure (block 1500), archetype process (block 2000), content and linkages, and other algorithm types and suggestioning abilities described elsewhere herein. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the utilization of externally available or standard communication tools (such as Outlook, or social networking tools such as MySpace and others) in conjunction with the ITKC system and method for multiple users is readily accomplished, and enabled by the data and communication standards that are widely used.

Referring to FIG. 13A, block 13060 (as well as to FIG. 12, block 13000), preferred embodiments of the Group Process Suggestor (block 13000) or similar module operates for groups, collaborating individuals, and other joint ITKC users in a manner similar to the Process Suggestor Manager for individual users and individual ITKC's, described elsewhere herein. In preferred embodiments, the Group Process Suggestor or similar module evaluates the group ITKC and group or collaborative user sessions and actions utilizing the archetype structure, archetype process, content, linkage rules, and other algorithm and suggestioning approaches described elsewhere herein and well known by those skilled in the art. Additionally, in preferred embodiments, the Group Process Manager or similar module may evaluate individual or sub ITKC's and individual or subteam actions for related evaluation and/or suggestioning and/or autogeneration across such sub ITKC and sub team actions. In this manner, preferred embodiments of the Group Process Manager or similar module may identify related activities, content, structures, and processes or other elements and identify or evaluate and potentially act upon opportunities to combine or relate such items across individuals or sub ITKC's.

Referring again to FIGS. 8 and 12, preferred embodiments of the present invention provide multi-user ITKC displays or representations (shown in block 8100), related to the representation or graphical user interface (block 100), controlled and supplied by the Multi-User View Manager (shown in block 8300) or similar module, related to the View Manager (block 200), described elsewhere herein. Examples of multi-user workspace layouts provided by preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17. Again, it should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the provisioning of alternative or other multi-user workspace layouts may be related to one, some, or all of the views depicted on FIG. 7 and described elsewhere herein. Other user workspace designs and layouts that accomplish the same or similar capabilities can be inferred by those skilled in the art and should be considered within the scope and intent of the present invention, particularly because the modularity of the system and methods lend themselves easily to multiple view and representation forms. It should also be appreciated that given the robustness of the ITKC system and method, additional or other user related capabilities or representational items can be inferred from the descriptions of the views and representations and other descriptions included elsewhere herein.

FIG. 15 shows one embodiment of one workspace layout provided by one preferred embodiment of the Multi-User Session Manager, for collaborative ITKC use, as might be utilized to accomplish multi-user sessions and/or dialogue (as for example, shown in FIG. 13A block 13030). Referring to FIG. 15, one preferred embodiment of an ITKC multi-user workspace layout may include one, some, or all but not be limited to the following: 1.) representation of shared or group ITKC components (indicated in the example in FIG. 15 by the Main Topic, for example, in block 16001), as might be used if the group was working on the inquiry project about the Main Topic “What caused the Constitution?”; 2.) representation of individual ITKC or individual user controlled components or representations (indicated in this example in FIG. 15 by the User 1 Space in block 16010 and User 2 Space in block 16020), and which in this example is shown as the question or subtopic sets being utilized by user 1 and by user 2 respectively, as might be used to subdivide the ITKC work by individual team members or subteams; 3.) multi-user dialogue capabilities, which may or may not be real time, shown in block 16050; 4.) user controls (in preferred embodiments, if warranted according to the user access rights specified for the project, described above) to activate or request the activation of the Process Manager Suggestor to the individual ITKC work, and/or to activate or request the activation of the Group Process Suggestor to the group or joint ITKC work (thereby applying the evaluation and suggestioning and potentially the autogeneration capabilities as enabled by the archetype process, archetype structure and other capabilities and modules described elsewhere herein); and others. It should be appreciated that these example workspace layouts are intended to convey embodiments of the types of workspaces or displays or that may be provided by the present invention for multi-user ITKC use and collaboration. As such, they are not intended to include all of the visual or functional elements that might be provided in a display or view, and other representations and view forms that accomplish similar functionality to that described herein should be considered within the scope of the present invention.

FIG. 16 shows a second example embodiment of a representative workspace layout provided by one preferred embodiment of the Multi-User Session Manager or similar module, and the Multi-User View Manager, or other similar module. Referring to FIG. 16, this second example of a preferred embodiment of a multi-user workspace layout may include one, some or all of but not be limited to the following: 1.) representation of shared or group ITKC components (indicated in the example in FIG. 16 by the Main Topic, in block 16001); 2.) provisioning of Joint User Space (shown in block 16060) in which multiple users with the appropriate access rights may select, edit, and add to the component(s) in the Joint User Space, as for example in the provisioning of a joint or group question or topic set; 3.) representation of individual ITKC or individual user controlled components (indicated in this example in FIG. 16 by the User 1 Space in block 16010 and User 2 Space in block 16020); 3.) multi-user dialogue capabilities, which may or may not be real time, shown in block 16050; 4.) and others.

Referring again to FIG. 13A, preferred embodiments of the present invention further provide for the development of a Composite or Combined ITKC (shown in block 13040), enabled by the ITKC Composite Manager (block 8300), described elsewhere herein. In preferred embodiments, such combining or compositing of individual or sub ITKC's by applying the archetype structure (1500) and archetype process (2000) and Process Manager Suggestor (block 300), and/or Group Process Suggestor (block 13000) or similar modules and other algorithms and rule bases described elsewhere herein provides a significant advantage for group or collaborative information intensive work. In some use situations, the Composite Manager may be utilized on a prescheduled or periodic basis, defined according to the project parameters (set in block 13015) or by the Project Manager or other controlling user. In other user situations, the Composite Manager may be activated at the request of one, some, or all of the individual ITKC group members or the Project Manager, if applicable.

Continuing with FIG. 13A, preferred embodiments of the multi-user ITKC system and method utilize an ITKC and User Locator (block 16000) or similar module to identify, locate and if desired, retrieve, potentially related other ITKC's and/or contact for other users who might have related interests. In preferred embodiments, again, the ITKC and User Locator may be activated according to one, some, or all of the following, shown in block 13048: 1.) automatically activated at predetermined points or periodically or continuously (according to the project parameters in block 13015), and defined as an automatic find in block 13048; 2.) invoked by the Project Manager or Team leader, or invoked by the individual group members, if they have been designated with such access by the Project Initiation process, defined as user activated find or location in block 13048; 3.) based on requests from other users via the Multi-User Dialogue Manager or other external communication tools, discussed elsewhere herein; 4.) based on postings of ITKC's of interest, desired, or users requests and interests, shown in block 13048; and others. Referring to FIG. 13A, in block 13050, preferred embodiments utilize the ITKC and User Locator or similar module, to locate potentially related ITKC's from the ITKC archives or files, and may also locate potentially related other users, defined in block 13050. Continuing with FIG. 13A, the present invention presents or otherwise notifies the appropriate user(s) of the found ITKC's and/or users, and provides for the user(s) to decide whether to add the found ITKC's and/or users to the project, shown in block 13058. In one preferred embodiment, the designated user(s) may then choose not to add the ITKC or user, add the ITKC as a resource to the project to be utilized by the appropriate team member(s), or include the found ITKC or parts of the found ITKC through the ITKC Composite Manager (block 8400), or through user selection and action, to create one or more Composite ITKC's (shown in block 13040), described elsewhere herein.

Continuing with FIG. 13A, in parallel with the individual ITKC sessions and work, preferred embodiments of the present invention update the group ITKC (shown in block 13070) via the Multi-User ITKC Manager (block 8700) and track user actions and ITKC changes, providing Project Monitoring and Tracking, (block 13075) via the ITKC Multi-User Tracking Manager (block 8700) or similar module.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention include the application of the archetype structure (block 1500) and archetype process (block 2000) to create group ITKC related suggestions and automatically generated additional project components, shown in block 13060, and enabled by the Group Process Suggestor (block 13000) and/or the Process Manager Suggestor (block 300). In a preferred embodiment, the multi-user group process provides problem solving assistance to groups that is related to the problem solving assistance provided to individuals working alone, including for example, the automatic generation of project components and evaluating and suggestioning of project components and/or next steps by embodiments of the present invention, as described elsewhere herein (see also for example FIGS. 3B and 3B-10 and others).

Referring again to FIG. 13A, in this embodiment, the ITKC Creation Manager or similar module, block 8400, may function in conjunction with the Multi-User Tracking and Monitoring Manager, block 8700, throughout the project to monitor project activities and progress and presents information to facilitate adjustments regarding assignments, direction and completion decisions and actions.

Continuing with FIG. 13B, preferred embodiments to support formal group situations are likely to include review by oversight user(s), shown in block 13082 to determine whether the project is sufficiently complete (shown in block 13080). In formal group implementations, such oversight is likely to be provided one owner user, such as a Project Manager, shown in block 13083. In other implementations, such as in collegial collaborative groups, such oversight my be provided by multiple collaborating user(s) (shown in block 13084). Continuing with FIG. 13B, preferred embodiments of the multi-user ITKC system and method provides for the publishing or otherwise provisioning of the ITKC (shown in blocks 13085 and 13090), via the ITKC Archive Manager (block 14000) or similar module, to a set of users, that may be a private group, a qualified group, general public access, or otherwise defined user access group (shown in block 13095). It should be appreciated that such publishing or other provisioning of the ITKC into ITKC Archives (block 9000) to a usually broader user base, with the appropriate user access rights, may be done at a plurality of points, including but not limited to: 1.) at the completion of a project; 2.) periodically at the decision of the oversight user(s), 3.) at chosen points or periodically even with projects that are not considered “complete” or that may be created and updated on an ongoing basis (as in many joint authoring situations by users with similar interests); 3.) provided as public throughout the course of its development, and others.

Referring now to FIGS. 14, 14A, and 14B, examples of preferred embodiments of multi-user modules related to multiple users in more informal collaborating situations are now described. FIG. 14 depicts a preferred embodiment of the system and method flow and interaction of multi-user ITKC system and method modules in enabling informal collaboration or cooperation of multiple users. FIGS. 14A and 14B provide additional detailed example embodiments.

Referring to FIG. 14, preferred embodiments of the present invention support informal collaboration or multiple users, which may be one, some or all of the following types: 1.) ITKC users (shown in block 14001), working on an individual ITKC (block 14003), who have created an ITKC user profile (shown in block 14002); 2.) ITKC users (block 14004) working on an individual ITKC (block 14005) who have not created an ITKC user profile; 3.) users (shown in block 14006) who have created a user profile (block 14007) and who access the ITKC system with input to find potential ITKC's or users (block 14008) in the absence of a working ITKC, via the ITKC Query Manager (block 14012) or similar module; 4.) users (shown in block 14009) who access the ITKC system with input to find potential ITKC's or users (block 14010), via the ITKC Query Manager (block 14012) but who have not created a user profile; and others. In the examples described below, the informal users begin with locating other ITKC's or other users of interest. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the informal collaborative actions may be taken by users with other users in the absence of specifically finding ITKC's or other users, as in the case when the collaborating users are already known to the user.

Continuing with FIG. 14, preferred embodiments identify and locate potential ITKC's and other users of interest via the ITKC and User Locator (block 16000) or similar module. In preferred embodiments, the ITKC and User Locator (block 16000) or similar module utilizes the ITKC Archive Manager (block 14000) and User Profile Manager (block 15000) to identify potentially similar or related ITKC's in the ITKC Archives (block 9000) or similar files. Preferred embodiments of the ITKC and User Locator may also utilize the Archetype Structure (block 1500) and Archetype Process (2000) as well as content indicators of the current ITKC's (when present), and/or the ITKC input provided by the requesting user(s), indicated in blocks 14008 and 14010, to identify and locate potentially relevant or related ITKC's, and in some embodiments may utilize the ITKC Composite Manager, described elsewhere herein. Additional criteria used by preferred embodiments to locate potentially relevant or related ITKC's may include information provided by the user profile(s) (block 10000) or other data or content available. Preferred embodiments of the ITKC and User Locator or similar module may utilize available User Profiles and data (block 10000), the User Profile Manager (block 15000), and may also utilize indicators of users identified by identified potentially related or relevant ITKC's.

Continuing with FIG. 14, referring to block 13050, preferred embodiments of the present invention may locate potentially related or relevant ITKC's and/or users based upon one, some or all of the following (indicated in Block 13048): 1.) requests from other users; 2.) user activation of the ITKC and User Locator or similar module (block 16000); 3.) automatic activation of the ITKC and User Locator or similar module, if so specified, based upon one, some or all of the active ITKC being worked upon, the user profile of the user, or other input provided by the user to the ITKC system and method; 4.) postings by other users; and others. Continuing with FIG. 14, after identifying potentially related or relevant ITKC's and/or other users (block 13050), preferred embodiments provide the user(s) with options regarding acting upon identified items. Representative options provided by preferred embodiments are described at a high level in FIG. 14, with additional detailed example descriptions provided in FIGS. 14A and 14B. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that additional or modified system and method flows and utilizations of system and method modules may be similarly included in embodiments, and should be considered within the scope and intent of the invention. Continuing with FIG. 14, following the location or identification of potentially related or relevant ITKC's and/or users (in block 13051), preferred embodiments of the multi-user ITKC system and method enable users to accomplish one, some or all of the but not limited to the following: 1.) save the identified ITKC or user reference for later use (block 13052); 2.) contact the identified user or ITKC owner(s) (block 13053) via the Multi-User Dialogue Manager (block 8550) or in some embodiments through the alternative or additional employment of external communication tools (in block 8551); 3.) provide ITKC's to other users to share or request other ITKC's from other users, (block 13054), via the Multi-User Dialogue Manager (block 8550) or similar module, or in some embodiments through the alternative or additional employment of external communication tools (block 8551); 4.) incorporate the found ITKC(s) into or associated with the user's ITKC (shown in block 13055) and described elsewhere herein, in some use situations through the automatic combining of ITKC's via the ITKC Composite Manager (block 12000); 5.) join or request to join an existing ITKC as one of multiple users (shown in block 14015) and enabled by the Multi-User Creation Manager (block 8400) or similar module; 6.) initiate a new group ITKC (block 13001), via the Multi-User Creation Manager (8400) or similar module, and potentially utilizing the ITKC Composite Manager (12000); and others.

FIG. 17 shows one embodiment example of one workspace layout for informal multi-user collaboration, as might be provided by the Multi-User ITKC Dialogue Manager and Multi-User Session Manager, described previously and elsewhere herein. Referring to FIG. 17, an ITKC user workspace layout of one preferred embodiment shows informal collaboration in the absence of shared ITKC views, as previously described, and may include one, some or all but not be limited to: 1.) an individual user workspace, shown in block 17010, and which may provide one, some or all of the representations and views associated with individual ITKC use (see also FIG. 7); 2.) multi-user active dialogue, shown in block 17050, facilitated by the ITKC Multi-User Dialogue Manager or similar module, or enabled by external communications tools, as described elsewhere herein; 3.) the presentation or the results of the ITKC and User Locator or similar module, represented by block 17030 in a list of potentially relevant or related ITKC's, in block 17031; 3.) the provisioning of the abilities to activate the ITKC and User Locator or similar module, shown in blocks 17032 and 17035; 4.) access to messages provided to the user via the Multi-User Dialogue Manager or similar module or external communications tools (block 17040); 5.) access to additional group ITKC's and associated communications and functionalities described elsewhere herein, in blocks 17061 and 17062; 6.) archives of ITKC's, as might have been saved by the user (in block 17070); 7.) access to activate automatically generated search; based on archetypes, described elsewhere herein; and others. Again, the example workspace layouts herein described are intended to be representative of collaborative workspaces provided by preferred embodiments of the present invention. Additional or other workspace or representation layouts and content that fit the capabilities and system and method modules described herein should be considered within the scope and intent of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 14A and 14B additional detail description of example embodiments is provided. FIG. 14A focuses on the options provided by some preferred embodiments following the identification of potentially related or relevant ITKC's. FIG. 14B focuses on the options provided by some preferred embodiments following the identification of potentially related or relevant additional users.

Referring to FIG. 14A, following the identification of potentially related or relevant ITKC's (in block 14020, continuing from FIG. 14 Block 13051), preferred embodiments of the present invention may provide the user(s) with a list or other relevant information of potentially related or relevant ITKC's or partial ITKC's that have been found as by the ITKC & User Locator or similar module (shown in block 14020). In preferred embodiments, user(s) may choose to ignore found ITKC's, or may choose to save the ITKC reference (block 14040) or may choose to act upon the identified or found ITKC's (block 14030). In preferred embodiments, if access is available to the user (shown in block 14050 and block 14052), then the user may access and utilize the found ITKC one, some or all of a number of ways, included but not limited to the following and indicated on FIG. 14A. Options so provided by preferred embodiments to ITKC's to which the user has access include but may not be not limited to: 1.) the user(s) may incorporate the found ITKC into an existing or current ITKC, whether choosing to utilize an auto composite (in block 14055) to composite or otherwise combine the found ITKC with one or more existing or current ITKC's (in block 14074), utilizing the ITKC Composite Manager (block 12000) or similar module, and resulting in a revised auto composited ITKC (block 14084); 2.) the user(s) may choose not to utilize the auto composite capabilities and instead selectively or in whole add the found ITKC to one or more existing or current ITKC's (in block 14072), resulting in a revised ITKC (in block 14082); 3.) the user may choose to create a new combined ITKC (shown in block 14056), leaving the current or existing ITKC's “as is”, utilizing the auto composite capabilities of the present invention (in block 14057) to create a new composited or combined ITKC (in blocks 14076 and 14086); 4.) the user may choose to create a new combined ITKC (shown in block 14056) but not choosing to utilize the auto compositing capabilities (shown in block 14057) but instead creating a combined new ITKC (in blocks 14078 and 14088) through part or whole selection of the existing ITKC and the found ITKC and editing the new ITKC; 5.) the user may choose to create one or more links from their existing or current ITKC to the found ITKC or part of the found ITKC (shown in block 14090), resulting in a revised ITKC with links to one or more found ITKC's or parts of found ITKC's (block 14092); 6.) the user may choose to join a found ITKC (shown in block 14094), as a joint author (block 14096) or one of the authors of an existing sub ITKC (block 14098), as specified previously in the access rights of the found ITKC, and as described previously above.

Continuing with FIG. 14A, if the user does not have access rights specified to the found ITKC(s), shown in block 14050, then preferred embodiments provide for a number of options for the user(s), including but not limited to the following: 1.) the user may request ITKC access (block 14053) from the ITKC owner(s), via the Multi-User Dialogue Manager, postings or via external communication tools, described elsewhere herein; 2.) the user may request to join an existing multi-user ITKC (in block 14054) and described elsewhere herein; and others. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that these and other user options for utilizing found or otherwise identified ITKC's of interest are readily enabled by the creation, editing, updating, and data management capabilities of the present invention, described elsewhere herein. It should further be appreciated that other options or combinations of options may also be inferred from the descriptions provided herein.

Referring now to FIG. 14B, example further detailed additional options provided by the preferred embodiments of the present invention regarding the use of potential other users of interest identified are described. Referring to FIG. 14B, following the identification of potential users of interest (in block 15015 and following from FIG. 14 block 13051), preferred embodiments of the present invention provide for the ability for users to save contact references (block 15025) as well as to contact found potential users (block 15020 and 15030), via the Multi-User Dialogue Manager (block 8550) and/or external communication tools (shown in block 8551), described elsewhere herein. In preferred embodiments, user may contact other found users for a plurality of purposes, including but not limited to: 1.) users may contact found users in order to communicate (shown in block 15032 and 15042); 2.) users may contact found users in order to share information (block 15034 and 15044), for example requesting information or ITKC's or providing information or ITKC's; 3.) user may contact found users in order to invite the found users to join in joint authoring an ITKC (blocks 15035 and 15045); 4.) users may contact other found users to invite them to join an existing multi-user or group ITKC (shown in blocks 15036 and 15046); 5.) users may contact found users to invite them to join a new multi-user or group ITKC (in blocks 15038 and 15048); and others. In preferred embodiments, the contacted found users may then choose to respond and act upon the various contacts and requests or not, as indicated in blocks 15042, 15044, 15045, 15046, and 15048. Continuing with FIG. 14B, if the contacted user(s) respond to the contact, again via the Multi-User Dialogue Manager (block 8550) and/or via external communication tools (block 8551), a number of types of collaboration may be established and operated upon by the present invention. Continuing with FIG. 14B, in preferred embodiments, if the contacted user(s) respond positively to the request to communicate (in block 15042), for example, then multi-user dialogue and communication is established between the user and the found user (block 15052). Similarly, in preferred embodiments, if the contacted user(s) respond positively to the request to share information or ITKC's (block 15044), then the user and the found or contacted user may share ITKC's or information, again utilizing the Multi-User Dialogue Manager (block 8550) or external communication tools (block 8551) or a combination of both. Such sharing of ITKC's is consistent with the data and communication characteristics of preferred embodiments of ITKC's described elsewhere herein. Continuing with FIG. 14B, in preferred embodiments, if the contacted user responds positively to an invitation to join in joint authoring of an ITKC (block 15045), then the contacted user either commences joint authoring (in block 15055) if the contacted user already has access rights to the ITKC, or may need to request access rights from the inviting or owner user, described elsewhere herein. Similarly, preferred embodiments provide for the commencement of collaborative work by the contacted user in existing group or multi-user ITKC's (block 15056) or in new group or multi-user ITKC's (block 15058), either directly if user access is public or has already been established via the ITKC Creation Manager or similar module, or with the addition of the user to the group or multi-user ITKC by the owner user, as previously described (see also FIG. 13A). At various points in informal collaboration, the user(s) may choose to change or add to the nature of the collaboration, shown in block 15060.

Referring to FIG. 12, block 12000, the ITKC Composite Manager or similar module in preferred embodiments controls and facilitates the combining or compositing of multiple ITKC's or multiple portions of ITKC's, in various use scenarios (described elsewhere herein), into one or more combined or composite ITKC's. It be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the process manager mechanisms utilized for combining portions of or entirely separate ITKC's in a single user ITKC are applicable to multiple users and to multiple ITKC's, including in preferred embodiments one, some or all but not limited to the following: 1.) combining structures across or within ITKC's or portions of ITKC's, also enabled by the archetype structure (as for example. combining or otherwise compositing question or topic structures of two or more ITKC's or portions of ITKC's; 2.) combining components of ITKC's across or within ITKC's or portions of ITKC's (as, for example, in combining or compositing analysis constructs of a similar or related type, information constructs of similar or related types or related through content, or others); 3.) combining or compositing ITKC's or portions of ITKC's according to content similarities or relationship or linkages; 4.) combining or compositing ITKC's or portions of ITKC's utilizing algorithms or rules associated with various suggestioning and automatic generation capabilities of the ITKC system and method, discussed elsewhere herein; and others. Additionally, preferred embodiments of the present invention may automatically identify additional structures, components, linkages, process steps or content relationships, and may in some instances provide autogeneration of components, structures, linkages, and others, described elsewhere herein. In preferred embodiments, such compositing may also be combined with the archetypal generation of search terms and autocompletion or other completion of searches related to or based on such generated search terms. These and other aspects of the ITKC Composite Manager are described elsewhere herein.

In preferred embodiments, it is an advantage of the ITKC multi-user system and method that in a predefined or subsequently formed ITKC group or collaborative setting, individuals may be enabled to work within a common or related context and a defined scope and structure, while at the same time the system and method enable the automatic compositing of a group or otherwise shared ITKC. Similarly, it is an advantage of preferred embodiments that in informal collaborative situations, described elsewhere herein, that preferred embodiments of the present invention allow for individuals or teams to share ITKC's or portions or ITKC's (whether through public archives or other sharing mechanisms, described elsewhere herein), and to choose to automatically combine or composite one or more ITKC's or portions of ITKC's into a one or more combined or composite ITKC.

Referring again to FIG. 12, in one embodiment, the Composite Manager or similar module, as indicated in block 12000, may, in conjunction with the archetype process, archetype structure, content, linkage rules, and other mechanisms combine and/or compare individual or sub ITKC's as developed by the various individual or sub team members or teams. In a more formal group ITKC project, (as described more fully in FIG. 13A), project parameters defined by the ITKC Creation Manager (FIG. 13A block 8400) may define the frequency and type of composition that is to be completed. In the case of one embodiment of a voluntary composite ITKC (as might occur in either informal collaborative situations or in a formal group (shown in FIG. 13A) in which the team members are allowed by their access parameters to initiate composite ITKC's), the participants may choose which portions of their ITKC's they wish to composite and may define additional parameters to control the compositing as well. It should be appreciated that different multiple user scenarios may warrant the different setting of composition parameters to control the composite ITKC, and that these are to be considered within the scope of the present invention. In preferred embodiments, the result of the Composite Manager Module, block 8400, is the creation of a composite or combined or compared ITKC, described in part in FIGS. 11A and 11B, elsewhere herein and below.

Composition of an ITKC from individual or portions of ITKC's can therefore occur in multiple use scenarios. Referring to FIG. 13A, one embodiment is shown in which a formal Group ITKC is defined by the ITKC Creation Manager or similar module, subdivided for assignment to team members (as described previously), and subsequently recombined into a combined or composite ITKC by the Composite Manager or similar Module. An alternative embodiment is one in which individual users or sub teams or teams may choose to composite their individual ITKC's or portions of ITKC's and activate the composition of a new ITKC through the Composite Manager or similar module. It also should be appreciated that the Composite Manager or similar module may also act similarly upon the composition of a single ITKC user choosing to incorporate portions of published or otherwise available archived ITKC's or portions of ITKC's, discussed elsewhere herein.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention with respect to group or collaborative problem solving provide in one preferred embodiment the ability to composite and/or compare portions of ITKC's or different ITKC's, for example across different individuals or subteams. In some embodiments, differences that are identified in such comparisons may subsequently presented and highlighted.

In some embodiments, such composition may be defined and specifically scheduled as part of the multi-user manager components, such as the ITKC Creation Manager and the Multi-User Tracking and/or Monitoring Manager module or others. Throughout the project, in one preferred embodiment, Composite updates may be conducted by the Composite Manager or similar module, and the Group Dialogue Manager or similar module may notify the group members and enable dialogue, review and discussion appropriately.

Referring to FIG. 13A, a Group Dialogue Manager or similar Module may control and facilitate the communication and interactions between multiple users in multiple use scenarios. For example, in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the Group Dialogue Manager or similar Module may specify and manage the communication and interaction between members (individuals or sub teams) of a defined group. In FIG. 14, the Group Dialogue Manager or similar module may similarly specify and manage the communication and interaction of individuals or sub teams participating together in a composite ITKC (that was not, for example, originally defined as a group ITKC). Similarly, in the case of multiple users developing a shared ITKC without specific subdivision, the Group Dialogue Manager or similar module may specify and manage the communication and interaction mechanisms for the members or may facilitate sharing portions or all of ITKC's and communicating between multiple ITKC users without specific composition or subdivision of ITKC's.

Throughout the project, in one embodiment, the assignment templates (both group and individual or sub team) ITKC's, created by the ITKC Creation Manager or similar module may be used by the Tracking and Monitoring Manager or similar module to track progress against goals and planned activities, to identify needs for changes in direction, new assignments, completion and generally help to facilitate project administration and management activities.

Through these and other embodiments that may be extrapolated from the descriptions herein provided, the system and method modules of the present invention facilitate the collaboration of individuals working in formal groups, informal teams and individual collaborative settings to conduct information intensive inquiry based projects about arbitrary problems, and to focus on the project problem solving and thinking process and content results in a collaborative manner.

As used herein the term arbitrary problem includes qualitative expressions of problems, quantitative problems, and combinations thereof.

In addition, the description often uses the term “construct” in connection with the description of the preferred implementations. By this term it is meant and organized collection of the relevant data. The term is not meant to be limited to any particular form of data structure or organization, though certain preferred implementations organize data according to object oriented design principles.

When referring to the term “archetype” as in archetype process or archetype structure, the intent is to cover exemplary, though not necessarily optimal, processes or structures.

When referring to the term “integrated” the intent is to cover things operating harmoniously, or uniting components that were previously regarded as separate.

In the foregoing detailed description of the present invention, and its preferred and example embodiments discussed herein, reference is made in part to the accompanying drawings that form a part thereof. The drawings in conjunction with the following description and explanation show by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above described embodiments but rather is defined by the appended claims, and that these claims will encompass modifications of and improvements to what has been described 

1. A system for facilitating collaborative or cooperative user thinking about an arbitrary problem for groups or multiple users, comprising: one or more computer readable media, memory, or computer readable devices, or a combination thereof, having processor executable instructions, said instructions comprising: instructions to facilitate user specification of at least one of a at least one problem and a at least one conclusion, or both; instructions to facilitate at least one of user specification or derivation, or both, of knowledge, related to at least one of the at least one problem specification and the at least one conclusion specification, or both, to populate a knowledge structure; instructions to persuade multiple user interaction to sequence series of interactions within a predefined set of interaction sequences, wherein the predefined set of interactions define a collaborative archetype process for multiple users thinking about the at least one problem; instructions to subdivide or partition, or both, at least one of the problem specification, knowledge specification and conclusion specification, or a combination thereof, into more than one subset; At least one of instructions to display, instructions to store and instructions to output at least a subset of the resulting user structure, or any combination thereof.
 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one processor.
 3. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to composite at least a subset of specifications into at least one combined or group or multi-user or unified or super specification or model.
 4. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to compare specifications.
 5. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to provide at least one of individual or subteam workspaces and group or joint or multi-user or collaborative workspaces, or a combination thereof.
 6. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to evaluate at least a subset of specifications, models, or user interactions, or a combination thereof, relative to an archetype structure or archetype process, or both, for user thinking about an arbitrary problem.
 7. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to provide suggestions.
 8. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one web service.
 9. The system of claim 1 further comprising instructions to identify potentially related models, specifications, or users, or a combination thereof.
 10. A system for facilitating collaborative or cooperative user thinking about an arbitrary problem for groups or multiple users, comprising: an interface; a multi-user process manager system operable to execute on one or more processors, to execute activities comprising: facilitating user specification of at least one of a at least one problem and a at least one conclusion, or both; facilitating at least one of user specification or derivation, or both, of knowledge, related to at least one of the at least one problem specification and the at least one conclusion specification, or both; persuade multiple user interaction to a series of interactions within a predefined set of interaction sequences, wherein the predefined set of interactions define a collaborative archetype process for multiple users thinking about the at least one problem; subdivide or partition, or both, at least one of the problem specification, knowledge specification and conclusion specification, or a combination thereof, into more than one subset; At least one of display, storage and output at least a subset of the resulting user structure, or any combination thereof.
 11. The system of claim 10 further comprising activities comprising compositing at least a subset of specifications into at least one combined or group or multi-user or unified or super user model or specification.
 12. The system of claim 10 further comprising activities comprising comparing specifications.
 13. The system of claim 10 further comprising activities comprising evaluating at least a subset of specifications, models, or user interactions, or a combination thereof, relative to an archetype structure or archetype process, or both, for user thinking about an arbitrary problem.
 14. The system of claim 10 further comprising activities comprising providing suggestions.
 15. The system of claim 10 further comprising activities comprising identifying potentially related models, specifications, or users, or a combination thereof.
 16. A system for facilitating collaborative or cooperative user thinking about an arbitrary problem for groups or multiple users, comprising: one or more computer readable media, memory, or computer readable devices, or a combination thereof, having processor executable instructions, said instructions comprising: instructions to facilitate user specification of at least one of a at least one problem and a at least one conclusion, or both; instructions to facilitate at least one of user specification or derivation, or both, of knowledge, related to at least one of the at least one problem specification and the at least one conclusion specification, or both; instructions to persuade multiple user interaction to a series of interactions within a predefined set of interaction sequences, wherein the predefined set of interactions define a collaborative archetype process for user thinking about the at least one problem; instructions to subdivide or partition, or both, user interactions through providing at least one of a collaborative or group or multi-user or joint workspace, and an individual or subteam workspace, or both; At least one of instructions to display, instructions to store and instructions to output at least a subset of a resulting user structure, or any combination thereof.
 17. The system of claim 16 further comprising instructions to composite at least a subset of specifications into at least one combined or group or multi-user or unified or super model or specification.
 18. The system of claim 16 further comprising instructions to compare specifications.
 19. The system of claim 16 further comprising instructions to evaluate at least a subset of specifications, models, or user interactions, or a combination thereof, relative to an archetype structure or archetype process, or both, for user thinking about an arbitrary problem.
 20. The system of claim 16 further comprising instructions to provide suggestions.
 21. The system of claim 16 further comprising instructions to identify potentially related models, specifications, or users, or a combination thereof.
 22. A system for facilitating collaborative or cooperative user thinking about an arbitrary problem for groups or multiple users, comprising: an interface; a multi-user process manager system operable to execute on one or more processors, to execute activities comprising: facilitating user specification of at least one of a at least one problem and a at least one conclusion, or both; facilitating at least one of user specification or derivation, or both, of knowledge, related to at least one of the at least one problem specification and the at least one conclusion specification, or both; persuading multiple user interaction to a series of interactions within a predefined set of interaction sequences, wherein the predefined set of interactions define a collaborative archetype process for user thinking about the at least one problem; subdividing or partitioning, or both, user interactions through providing at least one of a collaborative or group or multi-user or joint workspace, and an individual or subteam workspace, or both; At least one of displaying, storing and outputting at least a subset of a resulting user structure, or any combination thereof.
 23. The system of claim 22 further comprising activities comprising compositing at least a subset of specifications into at least one combined or group or multi-user or unified or super model or specification.
 24. The system of claim 22 further comprising activities comprising comparing specifications.
 25. The system of claim 22 further comprising activities comprising evaluating at least a subset of specifications, models, or user interactions, or a combination thereof, relative to an archetype structure or archetype process, or both, for user thinking about an arbitrary problem.
 26. The system of claim 22 further comprising activities comprising providing suggestions.
 27. The system of claim 22 further comprising activities comprising identifying potentially related models, specifications, or users, or a combination thereof.
 28. A system for facilitating collaborative or cooperative user thinking about an arbitrary problem for groups or multiple users, comprising: one or more computer readable media, memory, or computer readable devices, or a combination thereof, having processor executable instructions, said instructions comprising: instructions to facilitate user specification of at least one user model regarding an arbitrary problem; instructions to persuade multiple user interaction to a series of interactions within a predefined set of interaction sequences, wherein the predefined set of interactions define a collaborative archetype process for users thinking about at least one problem; instructions to evaluate at least a subset of the specifications, models, or user interaction, or a combination thereof, relative to an exemplary archetype structure or archetype process, or both, for user thinking about a problem; instructions to display or output, or both, at least one subset of a resulting user structure, or a result of said evaluation, or both.
 29. A system for facilitating collaborative or cooperative user thinking about an arbitrary problem for groups or multiple users, comprising: an interface; a multi-user process manager system operable to execute on one or more processors, to provide activities comprising: facilitating user specification of at least one user model regarding an arbitrary problem; persuading multiple user interaction to a series of interactions within a predefined set of interaction sequences, wherein the predefined set of interactions define a collaborative archetype process for users thinking about at least one problem; evaluating at least a subset of the specifications, models, or user interaction, or a combination thereof, relative to an exemplary archetype structure or archetype process, or both, for user thinking about a problem; displaying or outputting, or both, at least one subset of a resulting user structure, or a result of said evaluation, or both. 